The  Intellectual 
Torch 

Torrey 


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The  Intellectual  Torch 

Developing  a  Plan  for  the  Universal  Dissemination  of 

Knowledge  and  Virtue  by  Means  of 

Free  Public  Libraries 

By 
Jesse  Torrey,  Jun. 


The  Librarian's  Series 

Edited  by 
John  Cotton  Dana  and  Henry  W .  Kent 

Number  three 


Published  by 

The  Elm  Tree  Press   Woodstock  Vermont 
1912 


INTRODUCTION 

One  late  forenoon  in  the  winter  of  1 8 1  5,  the  4th  of  December 
to  be  exact,  a  young  man  walked  through  the  streets  of  Wash- 
ington toward  the  place  where  Congress  was  about  to  assemble. 
Comely  in  appearance,  still  in  his  twenties,  and  brisk  in  his 
walk,  his  usually  observant  manner  seemed  a  bit  dulled  by  preoc- 
cupation. Perhaps  his  thoughts  were  of  the  Congressional  session 
he  was  about  to  witness,  a  privilege  which  he  had  long  coveted 
and  anticipated.  Possibly  they  were  of  the  recent  war  with  Eng- 
land, plain  evidence  of  which  lay  ahead  on  his  path  down  Penn- 
sylvania Avenue,  in  the  Capitol,  burnt  and  ruined  by  the  British  the 
preceding  year.  Such  is  the  egotism  of  young  manhood,  however, 
even  amidst  attractive  and  interesting  surroundings,  it  is  far  more 
likely  that  he  was  considering  again  his  favorite  project,  his  "  new 
idea,"  to  which  he  fondly  desired  to  call  the  attention  of  Congress- 
men and  Legislators.  Partly  conceived  fifteen  years  before  and 
shortly  afterward  worked  out  in  actual  practice,  temporarily  laid 
aside  while  he  secured  his  professional  education,  a  few  months 
previous  he  had  resolved  to  devote  himself  to  it  anew.  He  had 
even  called  upon  President  Madison  and  secured  his  approbation 
of  his  plan.  Now,  in  Washington,  he  had  been  devoting  himself 
to  writing  for  the  newspapers,  and  he  may  have  been  this  morning 
planning  the  little  volume,  almost  ready  for  the  printer,  of  these 
newspaper  contributions  which  he  intended  to  issue  under  the 
imposing  pseudonym,  "Discipulus  Libertatis  atque  Humanitatis." 

At  any  rate  his  thoughts  were  pleasant,  but  suddenly  diverted. 
He  writes  thus  in  a  later  work,  "  The  Portraiture  of  Domestic 
Slavery".  "  My  agreeable  reverie  was  suddenly  interrupted  by 


917834 


IV  THE  INTELLECTUAL  TORCH 

the  voice  of  a  stammering  boy  who  exclaimed  '  There  goes  the 
Ge-Ge-orgy-men  with  a  drove  o*  niggers  chain'd  together  two 
and  two.1  '  What's  that  ?  '  said  I, '  I  must  see,1  and,  going  to  the 
door,  I  just  had  a  distant  glimpse  of  a  light  covered  waggon  fol- 
lowed by  a  procession  of  men,  women  and  children  resembling 
that  of  a  funeral." 

The  immaturity  of  the  man,  despite  his  impressive  projects 
for  the  betterment  of  his  fellow-citizens,  is  well  illustrated  in  the 
next  sentences.  "  I  followed  them  hastily ;  and  as  I  approached 
so  near  as  to  discover  that  they  were  bound  together  in  pairs, 
some  with  ropes,  and  some  with  iron  chains,  (  which  I  had  hitherto 
seen  used  only  for  restraining  beasts),  the  involuntary  successive 
heavings  of  my  bosom  became  irrepressible.  This  was,  with  me, 
an  affection  perfectly  peculiar  to  itself,  which  never  having  before 
experienced,  gave  me  some  surprise.  I  have  since  heard  an  intelli- 
gent gentleman,  from  Scotland,  describe  a  similar  symptom.  He 
affirmed,  that  on  his  arrival  upon  the  coast  of  the  United  States  ( in 
Chesapeake  Bay,)  his  first  view  of  the  slaves  brought  his  heart 
into  his  throat.  Overtaking  the  caravan,  just  opposite  to  the  old 
capitol,  I  inquired  of  one  of  the  drivers  ( of  whom  there  were 
two )  '  What  part  of  the  country  they  were  taking  all  these 
people  to  ?  '  '  To  Georgia '  he  replied.  '  Have  you  not '  said  I, 
1  enough  such  people  in  that  country  yet  ?  '  '  Not  quite  enough  ' 
he  said.  I  found  myself  incapable  of  saying  more,  and  was  com- 
pelled to  avert  my  eyes  immediately  from  the  heart-rending  scene ! 

"  With  these  mournful  spectra,  flitting  in  succession  before  me, 
and  the  black  procession  still  in  view,  the  pleasant  anticipations 
which  I  had  been  indulging  but  fifteen  minutes  previous,  became 
totally  reversed.  Returning  pensive  toward  my  lodgings,  and 
passing  by  the  capitol,  I  thought, — 'Alas  poor  Africa, — thy  cup 
is  the  essence  of  bitterness !  This  solitary  magnificent  temple,  ded- 
icated to  liberty, opens  its  portals  to  all  other  nations  but  thee, 
and  bids  their  sons  drink  freely  of  the  cup  of  freedom  and 


INTRODUCTION  V 

happiness; — but  when  thy  unoffending,  enslaved  sons,  clank  their 
blood-smeared  chains  under  its  towers,  it  sneers  at  their  calamity, 
and  mocks  their  lamentations  with  the  echo  of  contempt ! '  To 
return  from  this  lengthy  excursion,  I  must  acknowledge  (how- 
ever ludicrous  it  may  seem  to  those  who  are  hardened  to  such 
things  by  repetition,)  that  the  tragedy  of  a  company  of  men, 
women  and  children,  pinioned  and  bound  together  with  chains 
and  ropes,  without  accusation  of  crime,  and  driven  as  beasts  of 
the  harness,  through  the  metropolis  of  that  country,  of  which  I 
had  hitherto  indulged  both  pleasure  and  pride,  in  the  conscious- 
ness of  being  a  native  citizen,  and,  of  having  commenced  my 
life  coevally  with  its  constitutional  organization ;  occurring  at  the 
precise  hour  of  the  convocation  of  the  guardians  of  its  liberties ; 
produced  a  new  era  in  my  sensations.  Disinclination,  as  well 
as  the  delay  incurred,  prevented  my  visit  to  the  congressional 
hall  on  that  day. — And  I  devoted  several  succeeding  days  to  the 
purpose  of  delineating  on  paper,  a  faithful  copy  of  the  impressions 
and  sentiments  which  involuntarily  pervaded  my  full  heart  and 
agitated  mind." 

In  this  sudden  diversion  of  his  thoughts  and  its  results  is  wel 
portrayed  Jesse  Torrey. 

For  this  young  man,  the  writer  of  the  description  epitomized 
and  quoted  here,  was  Jesse  Torrey,  author  of  the  pamphlet 
herein  reprinted,  anti-slavery  agitator,  advocate  of  popular  edu- 
cation, total  abstinence  pioneer,  projector  of  free  libraries,  now 
forgotten  and  neglected.  As  the  result  of  the  scenes  he  had 
just  witnessed,  his  absorption  in  other  schemes  was  temporarily 
but  entirely  dissipated.  Journeys  to  Delaware  and  Pennsylvania, 
appeals  to  the  public,  and  even  legal  proceedings  followed,  all 
in  the  interest  of  slaves  and  finally  came  the  publication  of  the 
work  just  mentioned  and  entitled  : 

"  A  portraiture  of  domestic  slavery  in  the  United  States :  with 
reflections  on  the  practicability  of  restoring  the  moral  rights  of 


VI  THE  INTELLECTUAL  TORCH 

the  slave,  without  impairing  the  legal  privileges  of  the  possessor  ; 
and  a  project  of  a  colonial  asylum  for  free  persons  of  colour : 
including  memoirs  of  facts  on  the  interior  traffic  in  slaves,  and  on 
kidnapping. 

Illustrated  with  engravings.  By  Jesse  Torrey,  Jun.,  Physician. 
Phila.  1817." 

This  work  of  Torrey's  seems  to  have  been,  up  to  recent  years, 
the  only  one  which  rescued  his  name  from  utter  oblivion. 
Extensive  search  of  biographical,  historical  and  genealogical 
works  hardly  reveals  even  his  name.  Students  of  slavery  now 
and  again  refer  to  the  work  just  mentioned  as  interesting  and 
noteworthy,  but  say  nothing  of  the  man.  In  September,  1 898, 
Mr.  F.  J.  Teggart  of  Stanford  University  called  attention  in  a 
letter  to  the  Nation,  to  the  fact  that  Torrey  published  other  works, 
noting  especially  his  interest  in  libraries  as  evidenced  in  "  The 
Intellectual  Torch ; "  but  Mr.  Teggart's  interest  seems  to  have 
ended  therewith,  and  his  letter  not  to  have  attracted  especial 
notice.  In  1 909  the  writer  of  this  introduction  noted  in  a  second 
hand  catalog  the  following  entry :  — 

"  The  Intellectual  Torch  ;  developing  an  original,  economical 
and  expeditious  plan  for  the  universal  dissemination  of  Knowledge 
and  Virtue  by  means  of  Free  Public  Libraries,  etc.  By  Dr.  Jesse 
Torrey,  1 2  mo.,  orig.  wrappers,  pp.  36.  Ballston  Spa,  1817." 

To  anyone  watching  for  Librariana,  especially  concerning  the 
United  States,  this  promised  a  treasure,  but  the  fact  that  the 
bookseller's  entry  was  made  in  the  very  shadow  of  one  of  the 
great  libraries  of  the  country,  made  it  seem  likely  that  the  order  for 
the  pamphlet  would  meet  with  the  response,  familiar  and  funereal 
in  sound  to  bookbuyers,  "  Sold."  But  such  was  not  the  case. 
The  pamphlet  arrived  and  arousing  the  interest  of  the  editors  of 
the  Librarian's  Series  is  reprinted  herewith.  In  its  matter  it  speaks 
for  itself  when  the  date  of  its  publication  is  considered.  That  its 
author  deserves  some  notice  and  memory  by  American  librarians, 


INTRODUCTION  VII 

at  least  more  than  he  has  received,  seems  also  self-evident.  The 
history  of  the  movement  for  free  libraries  in  America  remains  to 
be  written  and  quite  properly  so.  History  can  hardly  be  written 
until  it  is  fully  made  and  the  passing  of  time  gives  vision  for  its 
writing.  Fifty  years  will  more  than  cover  the  period  usually  as- 
signed hitherto  to  this  movement.  But  beginnings,  foreshadow- 
ings,  should  be  noted  while  they  may  still  be  traced :  and  here 
is  a  man  establishing  a  century  ago,  a  "  free  library  and  reading 
society,"  whose  name  is  never  mentioned  in  biographical 
dictionary,  library  history  or  even  in  the  conversation  of 
librarians ! 

What  follows  hereafter  concerning  Jesse  Torrey's  life,  his 
plans,  hopes  and  actions  has  been  gleaned  almost  entirely  from 
autobiographical  remarks  and  sentences  scattered  thro  his  works. 
Gaps  in  the  record  remain  to  be  filled  and  statements  to  be  ab- 
solutely verified.  He  was  a  man  of  many  and  varying  interests, 
invariably  considered  by  him  from  the  point  of  view  of  the  public 
good.  Whatever  future  investigators  may  discover  or  say  of 
him,  it  would  now  seem  that  his  chief  point  of  interest  is  fore- 
shadowed in  his  own  saying :  — 

"  I  consider  myself  the  first  projector  of  free  libraries ;  and  I 
believe  this  method  of  disseminating  information  universally,  to  be 
as  great  an  improvement  upon  the  ordinary  mode  of  conducting 
libraries,  as  the  Lancasterian  scheme  is  upon  the  common  way 
of  elementary  instruction.  I  cannot  conceive  any  way  that  gov- 
ernments, or  wealthy  philanthropists,  can  apply  their  surplus  funds 
to  greater  advantage,  in  preventing  vice,  poverty  and  misery, 
and  promoting  virtue,  prosperity,  and  happiness  in  society,  than 
by  furnishing  every  town  or  parish  with  a  well  selected  moral 
and  philosophical  library,  either  at  prime  cost  or  gratuitously." 

(  Extract  from  Torrey's  letter  to  President  John  Adams,  dated 
New  Lebanon,  1 8  Jan.,  1 820 ;  printed  in  his  "  Herald  of 
Knowledge,"  Washington,  1 822,  page  2 1 .) 


LIFE  OF  JESSE  TORREY 

Jesse  Torrey  seems  to  have  been  born  near  New  Lebanon, 
Columbia  County,  N.  Y.,  on  May  25th,  1  787.  The  statement 
is  made  thus  advisedly,  because  no  complete  record  has  been 
found.  He  continually  makes  statements,  however,  the  dates  of 
which  are  ascertainable,  qualifying  them  with  such  expressions 
as  "  at  the  age  of  seventeen  years  "  etc.,  so  that  it  is  clear  from 
them  that  his  birth  year  was  1  787.  Coupling  this  with  a  phrase 
in  his  "  Portraiture  of  slavery,"  where  he  says  that  he  is  conscious 
of  "  being  a  native  citizen  and  of  having  commenced  my  life 
coevally  with  its  constitutional  organization,  occurring  at  the  pre- 
cise hour  of  the  convocation  of  the  guardians  of  its  liberties,"  a 
phrase  that  can  only  refer  to  the  meeting  of  the  Federal  Con- 
vention which  assembled  May  25th,  1  787,  it  seems  fairly 
conclusive  also  that  this  is  the  exact  date  of  his  birth.  An  old 
gambrel  roofed  house  in  which  his  family  lived  for  a  time,  still 
stands  on  West  Street  of  what  is  now  called  Lebanon  Springs. 
His  father,  Jesse  Torrey,  Senior,  probably  came  to  New 
Lebanon,  from  Lebanon,  Conn.  He  served  in  the  Revolutionary 
War  and  Jesse  Torrey,  Jr.,  alludes  with  some  feeling  to  his 
services  as  of  great  courage  and  ending  in  entire  loss  of  health. 
Royal  Torrey,  brother  of  Jesse  Torrey,  Junior,  also  served  in  the 
War  of  1812.  From  his  earliest  years  Torrey  seems  to  have 
been  devoted  to  books  and  reading,  indeed  his  application  to 
study  brought  illness.  In  later  years  his  constant  effort  was  to 
encourage  the  reading  and  use  of  books  by  other  youths,  but 
he  on  one  occasion  tempers  his  advice  thus :  "  After  having 


Silhouette  of  Jesse  Torrey,  copy  of  the  original  in 
the  possession  of  Rev.  Joseph  Hooper,  of  Durham, 
Connnecticut,  who  lent  the  same  to  Mr.  Virgin  for 
reproduction  here 


INTRODUCTION  IX 

endeavored  to  demonstrate  to  our  youth  the  advantages  of  knowl- 
edge and  mental  improvement,  I  should  consider  myself  guilty  of 
a  neglect  of  duty,  to  omit  cautioning  them  against  excessive  read- 
ing and  study;  which  is  but  little  less  pernicious  to  health,  than 
other  kinds  of  intemperance.  Never  more  than  eight  hours  daily, 
should  be  habitually  devoted  to  study,  or  any  inactive  employment; 
nor  less  than  three  in  active  exercise,  either  at  labour,  riding,  walk- 
ing, or  active  but  moderate  recreation. 

"  Having,  myself,  been  severely  injured  by  intense,  unremitted 
study,  as  well  as  by  excessive  exertions,  my  sentiments  are  the 
result  of  experience,  of  the  pernicious  effects  of  both.  It  would, 
undoubtedly,  promote  the  literary  progress,  as  well  as  the  health 
of  students  of  academies,  colleges,  etc.,  to  require  them  to  labour 
two  or  three  hours,  daily,  either  on  a  farm,  in  a  garden,  or 
mechanical  workshop."  (  Herald  of  Knowledge,  p.  30.) 

His  "  insatiable  appetite  for  reading,"  led  him  far  afield ;  his 
published  works  are  so  replete  with  quotations  as  often  to  make 
it  difficult  to  distinguish  his  own  sentiments  from  those  of  the  author 
quoted,  and  the  range  of  his  choice  is  unlimited.  Homer,  Seneca, 
Horace,  Addison,  Burns,  Sterne,  Goldsmith,  Cowper,  and  among 
Americans,  Barlow,  Jefferson,  Rush,  Franklin,  Weems,  all  of 
these  he  cites  by  quotation  or  title.  Here  are  some  of  the  titles 
he  mentions  as  having  read  before  reaching  the  age  of  fourteen  : 
"  The  Beauties  of  History,  or  Examples  of  Virtue  and  Vice, 
taken  from  real  life,  two  volumes  by  L.  M.  Stretch,  Burton's 
Lectures,  Knox's  Essays,  Goldsmith's  Essays,  The  Spectator, 
History  of  Sanford  and  Merlon,  Seneca's  Morals,  Plutarch's 
Lives,  Rollin's  Ancient  History."  The  extent  and  variety  of  this 
reading  was  in  some  degree  due  to  the  kindness  of  an  unnamed 
lawyer  whom  he  mentions  in  The  Intellectual  Torch  as  inviting 
him  "  to  make  as  much  use  of  his  excellent  library  "  as  he  wished. 
Another  friend,  Dr.  Moses  Younglove,  whom  he  also  mentions 
in  The  Torch,  gave  him  further  encouragement  and  aid  in 


X  THE  INTELLECTUAL  TORCH 

securing  books  and  became  his  confidant  regarding  the  project 
of  establishing  free  libraries. 

Younglove,  an  eminent  citizen  among  the  early  settlers  of 
Columbia  County,  and  a  skillful  physician  for  his  time,  was 
plainly  a  man  of  wealth  and  culture.  It  may  well  have  been  that 
Torrey  thought  of  him  as  one  of  the  philanthropists  whose  aid 
he  hoped  for.  During  his  acquaintance  with  him  at  any  rate, 
there  developed  in  Torrey 's  mind  the  scheme  he  was  about  to 
put  into  actual  practice,  and  which  would  give  him  his  greatest 
claim  to  the  interest  of  posterity.  Its  growth  is  traced  in  the 
pamphlet  reprinted  in  this  volume ;  but  in  another  work  of 
Torrey's,  "  The  Herald  of  Knowledge ;  or  An  Address  to  the 
Citizens  of  the  United  States  proposing  a  New  System  of  National 
Instruction,"  Washington,  1  822,  so  many  more  details  are  given 
of  the  early  development  of  his  idea  than  are  related  in 
"  The  Torch,"  that  they  seem  worthy  of  incorporation  here : 
"  the  suggestion  occurred,  that  governments,  associations,  or 
wealthy  individuals,  might  promote  if  not  accomplish  that  object 
( the  extension  of  useful  reading  )  by  establishing  in  cities,  towns, 
villages  and  parishes,  Free  Circulating  Libraries,  to  be  equally 
accessible  to  all  classes  of  the  community,  including,  particularly, 
the  rising  generation  of  both  sexes,  over  ten  or  twelve  years  of  age. 

"  Deeply  impressed  with  the  importance  of  this  mode  of  placing 
knowledge  within  reach  of  every  member  of  society,  whether 
rich  or  poor,  and  wishing  to  demonstrate  the  practicability  and 
utility  of  the  project,  by  experiment,  I  applied  to  Dr.  Moses 
Younglove,  of  Hudson,  to  aid  me  in  establishing  a  free  juvenile 
library  in  my  own  neighbourhood.  This  gentleman  had  previously 
resided  in  New  Lebanon,  and  had  already  shown  a  friendship 
towards  me  by  accommodating  my  taste  for  reading.  But  he  en- 
deavoured to  dissuade  me  from  attempting  to  execute  my  project, 
and  to  convince  me  that  it  would  not  be  in  my  power  to  divert 
the  attention  of  youth  from  their  former  favourite  amusements,  to 


INTRODUCTION  XI 

books,  and  that  my  perseverance  would  terminate  in  '  chagrin* 
My  confidence,  however,  in  a  contrary  result  was  not  shaken  in 
the  least.  I  was  much  chagrined  to  see  a  scheme,  which  I 
firmly  believed  would  ultimately  emancipate  the  human  race 
from  the  slavery  of  body  and  mind,  thus  discouraged  at  the 
outset.  I  then  directed  my  endeavours  to  the  institution  of  a 
juvenile  library  society,  under  the  denomination  of  '  The  Juvenile 
Society  for  the  Acquisition  of  Knowledge,1  and  commenced  a 
subscription  of  money  and  books,  leaving  the  amount  optional 
with  the  contributor.  After  calling  on  almost  every  house  in  the 
parish,  during  the  winter  evenings  in  the  year  1  803  and  4,  I 
finally  succeeded  in  obtaining  a  considerable  number  of  books 
(  some  of  which  were  lent )  and  about  twelve  dollars  in  cash, 
with  which  I  purchased  as  many  volumes  of  books  in  the  city 
of  Albany.  The  amount  generally  subscribed  ( except  for 
books)  was  from  twenty-five  to  fifty  cents.  On  the  12th  of 
March,  1  804,  the  library  was  opened,  free  for  the  equal  use  of 
every  youth,  of  either  sex,  from  twelve  to  twenty-one  years  of 
age,  on  signing  the  constitution ;  but  they  generally  subscribed 
from  twelve  and  a  half  cents  to  one  dollar.  As  there  is  seldom 
a  youth  in  that  district  of  country  that  has  not  been  taught  the 
art  of  reading,  the  acceptance  of  the  privilege  was  unanimous, 
and  its  effects  evidently  beneficial.* 

"  The  success  of  the  institution  was  equal  to  my  expectations ; 
and  several  months  after  its  commencement,  Dr.  Younglove, 
having  heard  of  the  progress  of  it,  wrote  letters  to  me  on  the 
subject,  and  sent  at  different  times,  a  considerable  number  of 
books,  and  offered  his  assistance.  The  following  is  a  copy  of 
one  of  his  letters : 

*  A  general  taste  for  reading  was  excited  among  the  youth  of  both  sexes, 
which  they  will  probably  retain  through  life.  A  few  years  ago,  1  met  with 
an  intelligent,  respectable  young  man,  in  a  different  part  of  the  country,  who 
assured  me  that  he  should  always  feel  under  obligations  to  me  for  the  benefits 
he  received  from  that  library ;  recollecting,  he  said,  that  I  had  invited  him  to 
commence  leading  it  as  soon  as  he  was  twelve  years  of  age. 


XII  THE  INTELLECTUAL  TORCH 

Hudson,  1 9th  September,  1804 
SIR: 

I  have  now  received  your  letter  of  the  1  6th  inst.  in  answer 
to  mine  of  an  anterior  date,  in  which,  through  mistake,  I  referred 
to  books  I  put  out  for  you  when  your  father  was  here,  and  which 
I  now  recollect  were  never  sent ;  among  them  were  two  Chinese 
volumes  (  Chinese  Traveller  ).  Therefore,  I  desire  you  to  take 
the  first  from  Mr.  T—  — *s,  and  I  will  send  you  the  second. 
Among  the  few  books  I  then  put  out  for  your  library,  were 
several  volumes  of  J.  J.  Rousseau,  but  considering  that  he  in- 
culcates a  preference  of  savage  ignorance  to  mental  refinement, 
I  believe  they  had  better  not  be  sent,  as  ill-suiting  your  laudable 
plan  of  useful  instruction  to  youth.  Other  small  tracts,  one  or 
two  of  which  I  thought  to  send,  I  am  inclined  to  think  you  have 
already.  On  the  whole,  when  convenient,  send  me  a  list  of  your 
books,  that  I  may  know  how  to  assist  you,  by  sending  or  recom- 
mending to  you  such  as  I  think  yet  wanting. 

I  am  gratified  to  find  your  endeavours  promising  of  utility,  so 
far  beyond  what  I  anticipated  when  you  first  consulted  me ;  for 
considering  your  youth  and  inexperience,  I  then  feared  your 
sagacity  would  be  insufficient ;  but  I  must  now  do  you  the  justice 
to  acknowledge  the  contrary  result. 

From  your  friend, 

M.  Younglove  " 

With  this  extract  and  the  facts  given  in  the  reprint  in  the 
following  pages,  our  knowledge  of  the  New  Lebanon  Library 
ends.  That  it  continued  to  exist  for  some  years,  that  it  numbered 
its  readers  at  least  by  the  hundreds,  and  produced  beneficial 
results  in  individual  cases  is  evident.  Before  tracing  Torrey's 
further  library  activities  and  life,  however,  it  seems  worth  while 
to  bring  together  and  emphasize  several  points  in  his  library  ideals. 

First  of  all,  libraries  must  be  free.    Time  and  again  he  insists 


INTRODUCTION  XIII 

upon  this  point  in  his  various  works.  Funds  might  be  collected 
through  the  subscriptions  of  friends  and  pledges  of  members,  as 
they  were  at  New  Lebanon,  but  "  indigence  "  was  not  to  keep 
readers  away.  At  New  Lebanon  he  expressly  says,  "  many 
were  admitted  who  contributed  nothing."  For  the  carrying  on 
of  his  plan  in  the  future,  he  desired  and  believed  in  securing 
government  aid,  local  or  national.  With  a  clear  eye  he  saw 
plainly  that  a  liquor  tax  would  be  largely  remunerative  and  raise 
funds  from  a  source  capable  of  bearing  taxation,  and  such 
measures  he  continually  advocated. 

Secondly,  there  must  be  libraries  for  all  without  distinction 
of  age,  sex,  or  condition.  His  emphasis  is  at  first  laid  upon  their 
advantages  to  youth.  The  New  Lebanon  organization  was  a 
distinctly  juvenile  one,  ages  1  2  to  2  1 ,  but  in  his  later  works  as 
his  conception  of  the  library  grows,  provision  is  plainly  made  for 
persons  over  twenty-one,  and  he  advocates  libraries  for 
such  special  classes  as  the  inmates  of  public  and  charitable  in- 
stitutions, apprentices,  the  farming  population  and  even  the 
slaves. 

Of  the  ten  years  of  Torrey's  life  following  his  establishment  of 
the  New  Lebanon  Library,  little  is  known.  Under  the  influence, 
perhaps,  of  his  friend  and  adviser,  Dr.  Younglove,  he  secured  a 
medical  education,  and  his  name  appears  on  the  title-page  of 
several  of  his  works  as  Jesse  Torrey,  Jun.,  Physician.  He  ac- 
tively followed  his  profession  for  a  time  at  least  in  Pittsfield, 
Mass.,  forming  a  "  Medical  co-partnership"  there  on  December 
first,  1814,  with  one  Amasa  Ford.  The  partnership,  of  which 
a  rather  extraordinary  advertisement  appeared  in  the  Pittsfield 
Sun  during  December,  1814,  was  dissolved  soon  afterward,  on 
May  23,  1 8 1 5,  by  mutual  consent.  His  only  recorded  medical 
publication  is  a  work  upon  contagious  diseases  with  the  following 
title ;  "  A  dissertation  on  the  causes,  preventions  and  remedies 
of  plague,  yellow  fever,  cholera,  dysentery,  and  other  pestilential, 


XIV  THE  INTELLECTUAL  TORCH 

epidemic  or  contagious  diseases  . . .  Containing  outlines  of  a  new, 
uniform,  physiological  system  of  medical  science  and  practice, 
predicated  upon  the  known  laws  of  nature  and  chemical  affinity.11 
Phila.,  J.  Grigg,  1832. 

Whether  wearied  at  this  time,  1815,  with  the  practice  of 
medicine  or  roused  in  some  way  to  a  recollection  of  his  earlier 
intention  to  foster  the  establishment  of  libraries,  it  is  impossible  to 
say.  At  any  rate  he  resolved  now,  in  so  many  words,  to  "  com- 
mence "  exertions  for  the  general  establishment  of  free  libraries. 
With  this  thought  in  mind,  probably  preparing  his  n  Intellectual 
Torch  "  en  route,  he  travelled  through  Pennsylvania,  Maryland 
and  Virginia,  availing  himself  of  his  stay  in  Virginia  to  visit 
President  Madison  at  his  home  and  present  the  project  to  him, 
and  finally  located  in  Washington  in  the  fall  of  the  year.  Madison 
expressed  his  "  decided  approbation  of  the  plan,  and  particular- 
ised some  of  the  benefits  which  he  thought  would  result  from  it."  * 
Addressing  letters  to  various  statesmen  and  governors,  Torrey 
began  writing  for  the  newspapers,  notably  the  National  Intelli- 
gencer of  Washington.  His  efforts  were  attracting  attention, 
and  he  had  ready  for  the  press  the  small  volume  of  reprinted 
newspaper  articles  on  this  and  other  subjects,  entitled  the  "  In- 
tellectual Flambeau  "  when  the  incident  occurred  described  in 
the  beginning  of  this  introduction.  The  sight  of  manacled  slaves 
on  the  streets  of  the  Capital  roused  in  him  intense  indignation 
and  sympathy,  and  drove  from  his  mind,  for  some  months,  all 
thought  of  libraries  and  popular  education.  Taking  measures  to 
provide  for  the  distribution  by  mail  of  the  Flambeau,  which  ap- 
peared in  February,  1816,  he  devoted  himself  at  once  to  the 
composition  of  a  new  work  on  the  evils  of  slavery.* 

This  book,  his  "  Portraiture  of  Domestic  Slavery,"  appeared 
at  Philadelphia  in  the  early  winter  of  1 8 1  6- 1  7.  It  is  the  longest 
and  in  many  respects  the  most  consistent,  well-planned  work 

*  Herald  of  Knowledge,  p.  1 2. 


INTRODUCTION  XV 

which  Torrey  wrote.  He  did  not  seek  or  anticipate  immediate 
abolition  of  slavery.  For  the  present  he  desired  humane  treat- 
ment of  the  bondmen,  and  urged  their  owners  to  be  "  guardians, 
patrons,  benefactors  and  neighbours  "  to  them ;  in  the  future  he 
advocated  gradual  redemption  by  governmental  purchase.  He 
was  especially  moved  by  the  wrongs  suffered  by  slaves  who  had 
been  freed  and  afterwards  kidnapped  into  slavery  again,  brought 
legal  suits  himself  to  secure  the  restitution  of  their  liberty  and 
aided  in  raising  subscriptions  to  defray  the  legal  expenses  of  the 
trials.  In  recognition  of  his  efforts,  the  Pennsylvania  Society  for 
the  Abolition  of  Slavery  and  the  Relief  of  Free  Negroes  unlaw- 
fully held  in  bondage,  voted  him  a  formal  letter  of  thanks  in 
August,  1816.  A  second  edition  of  the  "  Portraiture,"  published 
in  1 8  1  8  at  Ballston  Spa,  N.  Y.,  was  a  smaller  work  with  much 
less  matter,  and  does  not  contain  the  curious  and  interesting 
plates  "  designed  and  published  by  Jesse  Torrey,"  engraved  by 
Goodman,  Piggot,  Rider  and  Lawson,  which  have  made  the 
first  edition  a  book  sought  for  by  collectors  not  interested  in 
slavery  or  Torrey.  In  1 822  there  was  published  in  London 
what  may  be  regarded  as  a  third  edition.  Under  the  title 
"  American  Slave  Trade,"  it  was  edited  with  a  preface  by 
William  Cobbett,  the  English  politician,  and  publicist,  who 
probably  read  the  original  work  and  may  have  met  its  author 
during  the  years  181  7  to  1819,  which  he  spent  in  America. 

After  the  first  publication  of  the  "  Portraiture,"  Torrey  returned 
to  his  library  project.  As  he  narrates  in  the  "  Torch,"  he  ad- 
dressed a  sketch  of  his  plan  to  Roberts  Vaux  of  Philadelphia, 
on  June 4, 1817.  That  the  suggestion  bore  fruit  in  school  libraries, 
and  directly  influenced  the  establishment  in  Philadelphia  in 
1 820  of  the  Apprentices'  Free  Library,  an  institution  which  is 
still  in  existence  and  doing  good  work,  is  evidenced  by  the  fol- 
lowing letter  from  Vaux  to  Torrey,  which  does  not  appear  in 
the  "Torch:" 


XVI  THE  INTELLECTUAL  TORCH 

Philadelphia,  1st  Mo.  21,  1822 
"  Respected  Friend: 

In  reply  to  thy  letter  of  the  7th  inst.  I  feel  no  hesitation  in 
saying,  that  my  mind  was  directed  to  the  consideration  of  pro- 
moting the  establishment  of  libraries  for  young  persons,  by  thy 
publications  on  that  subject.  The  utility  of  the  small  libraries, 
attached  to  some  of  our  Lancasterian  free  schools  in  the  city  and 
liberties  of  Philadelphia,  as  well  as  the  benefits  which  flow  from 
the  Apprentices*  Library,  deserve  emphatic  remarks ;  whilst  it  is 
but  justice  to  thyself  to  acknowledge,  that  the  institution  of  the 
first  is  the  result  of  thy  suggestions,  and  perhaps  the  last  estab- 
lishment might  not  have  been  undertaken  if  the  advantages  of 
the  original  experiment  had  not  been  shown. 
Respectfully, 

Dr.  Torrey  Roberts  Vaux." 

On  August  6,  1817,  Torrey  signed  the  preface  of  the 
Intellectual  Torch.  It  was  presumably  published  at  once,  as  its 
title-page  is  dated  1817.  Inasmuch  as  it  is  reprinted  here 
verbatim,  and  space  has  already  been  given  to  consideration  of 
itsjnost  important  contents, — Torrey's  plans  for  the  establishment 
of  free  libraries, —  it  does  not  need  further  treatment  now,  excep 
on  one  point.  The  natural  question  arises,  on  reading  the  title- 
page,  why  reprint  the  second  edition  ?  This  edition  has  been 
used  because  no  first  has  been  found.  Diligent  search  and  in- 
quiry have  failed  to  locate  it,  and  it  seems  doubtful  if  it  exists, 
under  this  title,  at  least.  One  suggestion  seems  possible, 
especially  from  the  similarity  in  titles.  Torrey  may  have  regarded 
the  "  Flambeau,"  which  he  published  pseudonymously,  as  the 
first  issue  of  the  Torch.  Some  of  the  material  of  the  Flambeau 
is  used  in  the  Torch  :  much  is  omitted,  so  much  as  to  cast  doubt 
on  this  last  hypothesis.  What  the  author  had  in  mind  in  writing 
"  Second  edition  "  cannot  now  be  stated  with  certainty. 


INTRODUCTION  XVII 

Incidental  to  the  circulation  of  the  Torch  in  various  places, 
(in  1822,  five  years  later,  the  author  stated  he  had  circulated 
about  eight  thousand  memorials  for  the  establishment  of  libraries 
in  the  Torch  and  Moral  Instructor  combined),*  Torrey  takes 
occasion  later  to  object  to  the  limitations  of  library  organizations 
founded  only  for  apprentices.  His  pamphlet  had  been  distri- 
buted very  generously  in  Boston  during  the  winter  of  1817-18; 
in  1  820  was  founded  the  Mechanics  Apprentices  Library  there, 
whether  in  consequence  of  any  suggestion  contained  in  the  Torch 
or  not,  he  does  not  know.  In  1  822  he  writes  of  this  Library  : 
"  I  hope,  however,  that  the  discriminative  appellation  of  '  Ap- 
prentices' Library '  will  be  superseded  by  some  title  more 
indicative  of  relief  to  the  intellectual  wants  of  numerous  other 
classes  of  the  rising  generation  of  both  sexes.  ...  I  can  perceive 
no  sufficient  reason  tor  any  classification  of  libraries  for  youth, 
other  than  opening  them  on  different  days  or  hours  for  the  de- 
livery of  books  to  the  two  sexes.  The  Conversations  on 
Chemistry  and  Natural  Philosophy,  The  Spectator,  Thomp- 
son's Seasons,  drc.,  are  equally  interesting  to  either  sex;  and 
there  is  no  danger  that  young  ladies  will  trespass  on  the  claims  of 
apprentices  to  the  use  of  works  on  architecture  and  mechanics.llt 
Few  of  our  early  founders  of  libraries  were  so  thoughtful  of 
women  as  possible  readers,  or  admitted  so  unqualifiedly  their  ex- 
istence !  He  proceeds :  "  If  there  must  be  any  preference  to 
either  sex,  in  the  extension  of  mental  improvement,  let  it  be  to 
the  female.  Instruction  is  reproductive,  ad  infinitum ;  and  the 
domestic  station  of  females  gives  them  the  best  opportunity  of 
transmitting  virtuous  sentiments  to  future  generations." 

In  1819  appeared  Torrey's  "  Moral  Instructor  and  Guide  to 
Virtue  and  Happiness."  Both  this  and  the  "  Pleasing  Companion 
for  Little  Girls  and  Boys  "  published  in  1 824  were  practically 

*  Herald  of  Knowledge,  p.  1 5. 
t  Herald  of  Knowledge,  p.  1 1 . 


XVlll  THE  INTELLECTUAL  TORCH 

schoolbooks  and  naturally  were  his  works  which  secured  widest 
circulation.  The  Moral  Instructor  reached  a  second  edition  in 
the  same  year  as  its  first,  November,  1819,  and  by  1826  was 
in  its  tenth  edition.  It  was,  as  its  full  title  indicates,  a  collection  of 
readings,  original  and  selected,  on  ethical  subjects  without  refer- 
ence to  religion.  Some  matter  is  inserted  from  the  Torch  relating 
to  libraries  and  intemperance,  and  in  an  appendix  appears 
again  the  Constitution  of  the  New  Lebanon  Library  Society. 
Later  editions  are  rather  extensively  altered  from  the  first,  not 
in  character,  but  in  quantity. 

As  already  stated,  the  Moral  Instructor  was  intended  for 
school  use ;  it  is  advertised  as  "  The  New  American  School 
Book " ;  in  connection  with  it,  then,  may  well  be  mentioned 
Torrey's  other  works  of  this  nature.  The  Pleasing  Companion, 
copyrighted  in  1 824,  by  1 835  had  reached  its  twenty-fifth  edition, 
and  was  still  being  published  as  late  as  1  844.  It  is  a  collection 
of  fables,  poetry,  stories  from  Maria  Edgeworth,  Sanford  and 
Merton,  etc. ;  and  designed  "  for  use  in  primary  schools  and 
domestic  nurseries."  One  work  mentioned  by  Allibone  as  by 
Torrey  and  quoted  thus ;  "  First  Book  (  Primer )  "  has  not  been 
traced.  The  title  may  refer  to  the  next  mentioned  work.  The 
last  of  his  school  text-books  to  appear  was  the  n  Familiar  Spelling 
Book,  being  a  new  practical  system  for  teaching  English  pro- 
nunciation and  spelling  with  greater  despatch  and  less  fatigue  to 
both  instructor  and  pupil  than  by  the  usual  method,"  published 
at  Philadelphia  in  1  826,  but  copyrighted  in  1 825.  The  volume 
contains  reading  lessons  also,  in  one  of  which,  a  dialogue  entitled 
"  The  Quilting  Party,"  Torrey  ingeniously  introduces  descriptions 
of  his  other  works,  The  Pleasing  Companion  and  The  Moral 
Instructor.  The  praise  of  the  latter  comes  from  the  eldest  boy 
of  the  company,  by  name  Benjamin  Franklin.  This  widely  read 
young  person  of  twelve  years,  after  having  acquired  and  perused 
"Thirty  or,  forty  volumes  of  voyages"  with  which  he  was 


INTRODUCTION  XIX 

"  particularly  pleased,"  says  that  he  has  "  just  finished  reading  one 
of  the  best  books  I  have  ever  read  .  .  .  The  Moral  Instructor  and 
Guide  to  Virtue.  My  father  bought  it  for  me  about  a  month 
ago.  It  has  a  great  deal  of  good  advice  in  it  about  doing  right, 
and  behaving  well.  Not  many  children  can  understand  much 
of  it,  till  they  are  nearly  as  old  as  I  am,  but  I  will  give  you  a 
short  account  of  what  it  contains,  hoping  it  will  give  you  an  in- 
clination to  read  it  yourselves,  as  soon  as  you  are  old  enough." 
Benjamin  then  proceeds  to  entertain  his  playmates  with  a  two 
page  analysis  of  its  contents  closing  thus :  "  And  finally  it  con- 
tains a  constitution  and  plan  for  free  libraries  for  youth ;  so  that 
all  can  have  books  to  read,  that  wish."  The  rest  of  the  children 
whose  precocity  is  the  less  explainable  since  they  rejoice  in  such 
names  as  Thomas  Jefferson,  Andrew  Jackson,  John  Adams  and 
Emma  Willard,  speak  of  other  books. 

One  wonders  in  noticing  their  names,  if  Torrey  could  have 
known  Emma  Willard.  She  had  opened  her  famous  school  in 
Troy,  for  girls,  in  1  82  1 ,  five  years  previous  to  the  publication 
of  this  book,  having  been  teaching  in  other  places  with  steadily 
growing  fame  for  fifteen  years.  Several  of  the  girls  join  in 
the  symposium,  the  last  of  whom  most  conveniently  has  "  just 
finished  "  Torrey's  other  work,  A  Pleasing  Companion  for  Boys 
and  Girls.  She  too  likes  this  "  better  than  any  other  book  that  I 
ever  read,"  analyses  it  at  a  length  of  two  pages  and  expresses  the 
hope  in  closing  that  they  will "  all  soon  have  a  Pleasing  Com- 
panion of  their  own." 

Were  these  books,  intended  for  school  use  and  likely,  if  sold 
at  all,  to  sell  in  large  numbers,  another  phase  of  Torrey's  zeal  for 
popular  education,  or  were  they  mere  pot  boilers,  written  and 
compiled  to  secure  means  of  livelihood  while  he  spent  the  greater 
part  of  his  time  in  the  furtherance  of  his  more  ambitious  scheme 
for  free  public  libraries  ?  It  would  be  difficult  to  say,  were  it  not 
for  the  evidence  afforded  by  the  preface  and  introduction  to  the 


XX  THE  INTELLECTUAL  TORCH 

volumes.  Having  read  these  one  can  hardly  doubt  Torrey's 
absolute  sincerity  in  their  publication  or  desire  to  smooth  and 
make  interesting  the  path  of  teacher  and  pupil  alike. 

Despite  the  time  which  he  must  have  expended  in  their  pre- 
paration his  labors  for  library  growth  continued.  In  1  820  he 
resolves  anew  to  "  persevere  in  the  cause  of  libraries  and  knowl- 
edge," writes  ex-President  John  Adams  on  the  subject,  and  visits 
New  York  City  to  make  "  preparatory  arrangements  for  the  estab- 
lishment of  a  free  juvenile  library  "  for  all  youth  over  ten  years  of 
age.*  It  was  only  a  coincidence,  perhaps,  that  in  this  very  year, 
the  General  Society  of  Mechanics  and  Tradesmen  of  New  York 
City  founded  its  Apprentices'  Library ;  but  it  would  seem  that 
Jesse  Torrey  is  entitled  to  some  credit  for  his  share  in  the  gen- 
eral agitation  which  produced  the  foundation. 

Two  years  passed,  and  in  1  822  Torrey  published  his  last 
appeal  so  far  as  we  now  know,  to  the  public  on  behalf  of 
libraries.  From  the  Herald  of  Knowledge,  extensive  quotation 
has  already  been  made  and  no  detailed  description  need  be 
given.  It  contains  the  sanest,  maturest  presentation  of  the  cause 
nearest  his  heart.  The  Torch,  by  priority  of  publication  and  its 
fuller  exhibition  of  Torrey's  personality,  deserved  and  is  given 
herewith  its  reprinting,  but  the  Herald  abundantly  deserves  re- 
production as  well,  and  is  apparently  rarer  than  the  Torch. 

From  this  time  on,  the  known  details  of  Torrey's  life,  aside 
from  dates  of  publication,  become  few.  Various  editions  of  earlier 
works  appeared  but  whether  revised  by  the  author  or  publisher 
is  often  uncertain.  In  1  824  appeared  the  Pleasing  Companion  ; 
in  1826  the  Familiar  Spelling  Book,  both  already  described; 
then  after  a  blank  of  six  years  appears  his  Dissertation  on  the 
Plague,  indicating  a  suddenly  revived  interest  in  his  profession. 
One  other  work  remains,  not  previously  alluded  to  here,  and  of 
a  character  entirely  different  from  those  already  described. 

*  Herald  of  Knowledge,  p.  2 1  -2. 


INTRODUCTION  XXI 

Early  in  the  investigation  of  the  life  of  Torrey  a  tradition  was 
found  that  he  had  at  one  time  edited,  written  or  compiled  a  sort 
of  periodical  called  "  The  National  Library."  No  one  had  seen 
the  work,  no  one  could  produce  it,  but  the  tradition  persisted. 
Again  a  bookseller's  catalog,  on  this  occasion,  of  an  auction, 
intervened  and  brought  his  work  to  light.  Through  the  zeal  of 
the  librarian  of  the  American  Antiquarian  Society,  they  are  now 
the  possessors  of  a  few  numbers  of  the  "  National  Library,"  con- 
ducted by  Jesse  Torrey,  Jr.  A  fortnightly  of  sixteen  pages  an 
issue,  octavo  in  size,  the  National  Library  and  Advocate  of 
Civil  and  Religious  Liberty  or  Universal  Repository  of  Useful 
Knowledge, —  to  give  it  its  full  title, — was  published  in  Philadel- 
phia by  J.  H.  Sleeper.  Its  first  issue  appears  to  have  been  in  June, 
1833;  the  Antiquarian  Society  file, — incomplete, —  begins  with 
August  28th  of  that  year,  which  is  volume  one,  number  six.  It 
lived  till  the  end  of  the  year,  and  then  appears  a  similar  paper  in  ar- 
rangement and  matter,  but  with  a  new  tide,  "  The  Impartial 
Examiner,"  Phila.,  Jan.  I,  1834,  Volume  one,  No.  I,  and  this 
announcement  for  the  patrons  of  the  National  Library :  "  Dr. 
Jesse  Torrey,  Jr.,  having  withdrawn  from  the  editorial  depart- 
ment of  the  National  Library,  a  few  individuals  of  liberal  minds 
in  this  city  have  concluded  to  superintend  the  editorial  depart- 
ment, and  as  the  late  editor  .  .  .  may  at  some  future  time  renew 
his  periodical  through  the  means  of  another  publisher,  we  have 
concluded  an  alteration  of  the  title  would  be  proper."  As 
might  be  judged  from  this  announcement,  the  contents  of  both 
papers  are  extremely  "  liberal ".  By  far  the  greater  part  of  the 
material  is  religious  and  controversial ;  attacks,  often  violent,  upon 
Methodists,  Baptists,  Episcopalians  and  other  churches  are  made. 
Nearly  all  the  articles  are  signed  with  pseudonyms  or  initials. 
Hence,  it  is  difficult  to  tell  how  much  share  Torrey  had  in  pro- 
ducing the  paper's  contents.  It  is  significant  that  with  his  leaving 
it,  the  name  should  have  been  changed.  Except  for  the  title, 


XXII  THE  INTELLECTUAL  TORCH 

the  word  n  library  "  does  not  occur  in  its  pages.  With  the  dis- 
appearance of  the  National  Library  as  a  title,  there  vanished 
from  sight  also  the  man  whose  chief  interest  in  life  had  been 
the  securing  of  libraries  for  the  people.  Where  he  died,  or 
when,  we  do  not  know. 

Edward  Harmon  Virgin 
New  York 
September,  1912. 


THE  PORTRAIT  OF  JESSE  TORREY,  JR. 

The  portrait  of  Torrey  reproduced  in  this  reprint  seems  to 
have  been  separately  engraved  and  inserted  at  will  in  his  various 
works.  Copies  of  the  Intellectual  Flambeau,  Moral  Instructor, 
first  and  second  editions,  and  the  second  edition  of  the  Portraiture 
have  been  noted  in  various  libraries  as  containing  portraits. 

As  an  engraving  and  the  joint  work  of  Goodman  and  Piggott 
who  cut  the  plate,  it  is  fairly  rare,  their  work  together  occurring 
very  seldom.  Both  engravers  were  well  known  in  their  day, 
and  served  as  apprentices  together  before  forming  their  partner- 
ship in  Philadelphia.  In  addition  to  their  signature,  "  Goodman 
&  Piggott,  Sc.",  the  cut  is  also  signed  "  Ra.  Peale,  Del.",  pre- 
sumably Raphael  Peale.  Judged  from  this  portrait,  the  engraving 
in  the  Portraiture,  entitled  "  The  Author  noting  down  the  narra- 
tives of  several  free-born  people  of  colour  who  had  been 
kidnapped,"  is  a  very  good  likeness.  There  is  also  in  existence 
a  silhouette  of  Torrey,  a  reproduction  of  which  is  included  in  this 
volume. 

E.  H.  V. 


CHRONOLOGICAL  LIST  OF  TORREY'S 
WORKS  AND  EDITIONS. 


Copies 
located 

1816  Intellectual  Flambeau.    Wash.  1 6  mo.  5 

1817  Portraiture   of   Slavery.      Phila.  8  vo. 

Copyrighted  Jan.  25  14 

1817  Intellectual  Torch.  Ed.  2.  Ballston  Spa. 

1 2  mo.    Preface  dated  Aug.  6  6 

1818  Portraiture  of  Slavery.    Ed.  2.    Ballston 

Spa.    1 2  mo.  7 

1819  Moral  Instructor.   [Ed.l.]  Ballston  Spa. 

12  mo.  1 
1819  Moral  Instructor.  Ed.  2.  Albany.  12 

mo.  November  4 

1 822  Herald  of  Knowledge.  Wash.  1 2  mo.  3 
1 822  American  Slave  Trade.  (  New  ed.  of 

Portraiture)  Lond.  12  mo.  4 

1  823  Moral  Instructor.  Ed.  3.  Wash.  1 2  mo.  1 

1 824  Moral  Instructor.  Ed.  4.  Phila.  1 2  mo.  2 

1824  Pleasing   Companion   [Ed.    1.  Phila.] 

Copyright     date    given    in    later  No  copy 

edition  as  March  24,  1 824.  located 

1825  Moral  Instructor.    Ed.  5  No  copy  located  but 

quoted  by  Teggart 

1 826  Familiar  Spelling  Book.  Phila.  1 2  mo.  1 
1 826     Moral  Instructor.  Ed.  1 0.  Phila.  1 2  mo.  1 


XVlll  THE  INTELLECTUAL  TORCH 

1830     Pleasing  Companion.    Ed.  2.    N.  Y., 

12  mo.  1 

1 832  Dissertation  on  plague.    Phila.    8  vo.  3 

1833  National  Library.    Phila.    8  vo.  1 
1836     Pleasing  Companion.     Ed.  25.   Phila. 

12  mo.  1 

1  844     Pleasing  Companion.    Phila.  1 2  mo.  2 

UNTRACED 
"  First  Book  (  Primer )  "  Quoted  thus  only  by  Allibone. 

All  of  Torrey's  works  were  published  under  his  name  except 
the  first,  The  Intellectual  Flambeau.  This  is  said  on  its  title 
page  to  be  by  "  Discipulus  Libertatis  atque  Humanitatis. " 


The  Intellectual  Torch 


THE 

INTELLECTUAL    TORCH; 

DEVELOPING  AN  ORIGINAL,  ECONOMICAL  AND 
EXPEDITIOUS  PLAN  FOR  THE 

UNIVERSAL  DISSEMINATION 

OF 

KNOWLEDGE  AND  VIRTUE; 

BY  MEANS  OF 

FREE  PUBLIC  LIBRARIES. 

INCLUDING  ESSAYS  ON 

THE  USE  OF  DISTILLED  SPIRITS. 


By  Doctor  JESSE  TORRE  Y,  Jun. 

Founder  of  the  Free  Juvenile  Library,  established  at  New  Lebanon,  in  the 

year  1804;  and  Author  of  "A  Portraiture  of  Domestic 

Slavery  in  the  United  States,"  &c. 

SECOND  EDITION,  REVISED  BY  THE  AUTHOR; 

Selections  being  omitted  and  original  matter  added. 

BALLSTON  SPA : 

PUBLISHED  BY  THE  AUTHOR. 
J.  COMSTOCK,  PRINTER. 


Reprinted  with  an  Introduction 

The  Elm  Tree  Press     Woodstock   Vermont 

1912 


THE 

INTELLECTUAL  TORCH. 


'  'Man 's  general  ignorance,  old  as  the  flood, 
For  ages  on  ages  has  steep  'd  him  in  blood. 


NOWLEDGE  is  essentially  necessary  to  the  well-being 
1  v  and  happiness  of  every  member  of  the  human  family, 
whether  male  or  female,  rich  or  poor. 

To  ignorance  may  be  traced,  the  origin  of  most  of  the  vices, 
crimes,  errors  and  follies  that  distract  and  destroy  mankind.  It  is 
the  mother  of  misery: — a  mazy  labyrinth  of  perpetual  night. 
Knowledge,  on  the  contrary,  is  a  torch  perpetually  flaming, 
which  enables  its  possessor,  to  see  clearly  and  understand  every 
thing  that  surrounds  him.  It  affords  certain  consolation,  in  all 
cases  of  difficulty  and  danger.  Besides  the  intellectual  pleasure, 
derived  from  the  possession  of  knowledge,  which  far  exceeds 
that  of  animal  sensuality,  the  well  informed  man,  (mechanic, 
farmer,  or  of  whatever  profession)  being  acquainted  with  the  laws 
of  nature — with  moral  and  physical  causes  and  effects,  is  capable 
of  providing,  generally  with  certainty,  for  the  prosperity  and 
security  of  himself  and  his  family. 

Confucius,  the  ancient  Chinese  Philanthropist,  who  dissem- 
inated virtue  and  happiness  over  a  vast  Empire,  and  is  there 
venerated  as  a  messenger  from  God,  to  this  day,  says,  "  Human 


nature  came  to  us  from  Heaven  pure  and  perfect ;  but  in  process 
of  time,  ignorance,  the  passions  and  evil  examples  have  corrupted 
it.  All  consists  in  restoring  it  to  its  primitive  beauty ;  and  to  be 
perfect  we  must  ascend  to  that  point  from  which  we  have  fallen. 
Obey  Heaven  and  follow  the  orders  of  him  who  governs  it. 
Love  your  neighbor  as  yourself."  --"  Bad  as  the  times  are  I 
shall  do  all  I  can  to  recall  men  to  virtue ;  for  in  virtue  are  all 
things." 

While  our  generous  Legislatures  are  imitating  the  policy  of 
European  Monarchies,  by  making  liberal  appropriations  for  en- 
lightening the  few,  by  the  endowment  of  Colleges  and  Univer- 
sities, would  not  the  many  ( who,  in  this  country,  supply  their 
legislators  with  power  as  well  as  money )  cordially  cherish  a 
policy,  calculated,  at  the  same  time,  to  diffuse  a  small  portion  of 
the  accumulated  treasures  of  intellectual  light  of  the  present  era, 
amongst  themselves  and  their  own  children.* 

Joseph  Lancaster  has  discovered  a  method,  which  gives  in- 
calculable facility  to  the  universal  dissemination  of  the  preliminary 
rudiments  of  science  ;  and  is  rapidly  gaining  general  assent  in  the 
United  States.  But  the  education  of  youth  should  not  cease  with 
the  expiration  of  their  attendance  on  public  schools.  The  chasm 
between  this  period  and  that  of  their  corporeal  maturity,  contains 
many  stumbling  blocks  and  dangerous  snares.  The  art  of  reading, 
without  books  to  read,  is  to  the  mind,  as  is  a  set  of  good  teeth  to 
the  body,  without  food  to  masticate ;  they  will  alike  suffer  the 
evils  of  disease,  decay,  and  eventual  ruin. 

The  printing  press  is  the  main  engine,  and  books  are  the  rapid 


*  The  late  enthusiastic  Champion  of  the  rights  of  man,  Samuel  Adams,  in 
a  letter  to  his  venerable  friend,  John  Adams,  exerting  his  utmost  eloquence  to 
convince  him  of  the  superiority  of  the  representative  system  of  legislation,  ex- 
claims—  "  In  order  to  secure  the  perpetuation  of  our  excellent  form  of  govern- 
ment to  future  generations,  let  Divines  and  Philosophers,  Statesmen  and  Patriots, 
unite  their  endeavors  to  renovate  the  age,  by  impressing  the  minds  of  the  people 
with  the  importance  of  educating  their  little  Boys  and  Girls,*  &c. 


vehicles  for  the  general  distribution  of  knowledge.  Yet  notwith- 
standing the  prodigious  difference  between  the  cost  of  books 
within  the  last  400  years,  and  the  whole  anterior  space  of 
time,  but  few  comparatively  can  meet  the  expense  of  private 
libraries.  Computing  the  leisure  of  every  youth  to  be  two  hours 
daily  from  the  age  of  ten  to  twenty-one  years,  independent  of 
the  requisite  time  for  labor,  sleep,  eating,  recreation,  &c.  and  it 
is  sufficient  for  reading  a  library  of  seven  hundred  volumes 
duodecimo,  of  300  pages  each.  This  only  season  for  laying  the 
foundation  of  a  virtuous  and  happy  life,  to  the  greatest  portion  of 
mankind,  is  totally  lost.  It  is  only  necessary  to  offer  knowledge 
to  the  voluntary  acceptance  of  youth,  in  a  proper  manner,  to 
produce  an  ardent  appetite  for  it. 

Intellectual  cultivation  is  the  basis  of  virtue  and  happiness.  As 
mental  improvement  advances,  vice  and  crimes  recede.  That 
desirable  happy  era,  when  the  spirit  of  peace  and  benevolence 
shall  pervade  all  the  nations  which  inhabit  the  earth,  when  both 
national  and  personal  slavery  shall  be  annihilated  ;  when  nations 
and  individuals  shall  cease  to  hunt  and  destroy  each  other's  lives 
and  property ;  when  the  science  and  implements  of  human 
preservation  and  felicity,  shall  be  substituted  for  those  of  slaughter 
and  woe ;  will  commence,  precisely  at  the  moment  when  the 
rays  of  useful  knowledge  and  wisdom,  shall  have  been  extended 
to  the  whole  human  family.  By  useful  knowledge,  I  mean,  not 
only  an  acquaintance  with  valuable  arts  and  sciences,  but  also  an 
understanding  of  our  various  moral  and  religious  duties,  in  relation 
to  our  creator,  to  our  neighbor,  and  to  ourselves.  By  wisdom,  I 
mean  that  kind  of  sagacity,  which  influences  us  to  regulate  our 
passions  and  conduct,  in  conformity  to  the  precepts  of  know- 
ledge, reason  and  religion.  Until  an  approach  towards  such  a 
state  of  things,  is  effected,  the  names  of  peace,  liberty,  and 
security,  on  this  earth,  will  differ  but  little  from  an  Ignis  fatuus, 
either  to  monarchs  or  their  vassals.  At  present,  violence  bears 


universal  and  imperial  sway ;  and  ignorance  is  the  magic  spell 
which  sustains  its  sceptre.  This  dense  mist  which  enshrouds 
nearly  the  whole  human  race,  can  be  penetrated  and  removed, 
with  much  greater  certainty  and  facility,  by  the  mild  but  invincible 
rays  of  intellectual  light,  than  by  opposing  violence  with  violence, 
and  evil  to  evil.  The  countryman  in  /Esop's  Fables,  was  induced 
to  throw  off  his  cloak,  by  the  gentle  but  melting  rays  of  the  physical 
sun,  after  the  wind  had  exerted  its  fury  in  vain.  What  a  bound- 
less empire  of  glory  and  unalloyed  bliss,  might  the  monarchs  and 
governments  of  the  different  nations,  and  all  possessors  of  wealth 
attain,  by  causing  their  numerous  subjects  and  brethren,  per- 
petually encompassed  by  the  snares  of  ignorance,  vice,  and 
oppression,  to  be  instructed ;  thereby  elevating  poor  degraded 
afflicted  human  nature,  to  that  scale  of  dignity  in  the  creation, 
which  was  evidently  assigned  to  it  by  the  supreme  parent  of  the 
universe.  In  our  country,  particularly,  instruction  ought  to  be 
universal.  For  virtue  only  can  sustain  and  perpetuate  our  political 
organization.  "  With  knowledge  and  virtue  the  united  efforts  of 
ignorance  and  tyranny  may  be  defied."  (  Miller,  governor  of 
North  Carolina.)  "  In  a  government  where  all  may  aspire,  to  the 
highest  offices  in  the  state,  it  is  essential  that  education  should  be 
placed  within » the  reach  of  all. — Without  intelligence,  self 
government,  our  dearest  privilege  cannot  be  exercised. " 
( Nicholas,  governor  of  Virginia.)  "  Without  knowledge,  the 
blessings  of  liberty  cannot  be  fully  enjoyed  or  long  preserved." 
(  President  Madison.) 

General  Washington,  in  his  valedictory  address  to  the  people 
of  the  United  States,  says,  "  Promote  then,  as  objects  of  primary 
importance,  institutions  for  the  general  diffusion  of  knowledge, 
in  proportion  as  the  structure  of  the  government  gives  force  to 
public  opinion,  it  is  essential  that  public  opinion  should  be 
enlightened." 

But  it  has  been  questioned  whether  our  constitution  authorises 

A2 


the  adoption  of  measures  for  the  diffusion  of  knowledge  and 
science.  If  our  constitution  does  not  now  authorise  measures 
which  are  likely  to  produce  the  greatest  possible  benefit  to  the 
country,  and  security  to  its  liberties,  it  ought  without  delay  to  be 
so  amended  that  it  should. 

Let  American  Legislators,  both  national  and  sectional,  perform 
their  duty  to  their  country,  and  its  posterity  ;  and  to  mankind,  by 
listening  to  the  wise  counsels  of  many  conspicuous  living  sages, 
and  pursue  without  hesitation  the  inestimable  "parting  advice" 
of  George  Washington,  Benjamin  Rush,  Samuel  Adams,  and 
other  departed  friends  and  patrons  of  man  ;  and  establish  public 
schools,  and  judiciously  selected  free  public  circulating  libraries, 
in  every  part  of  the  Republic.  And  as  all  men  are  vitally  interested 
in  the  universal  dissemination  of  knowledge  and  virtue,  let  all 
classes  combine  their  influence  and  means,  in  aiding  the  cause  of 
human  happiness. 


n  Postpone,  O  ye  Sages  all  meaner  debates — 
Convinced  that  'tis  light,  must  establish  our  states ; 
Dispense  and  diffuse  it — gild  empire  like  day, 
Convinced  that  with  freemen  full  knowledge  is  sway ! " 
"  'Tis  ignorance  mainly  binds  people  in  chains, 
'Tis  this  too  the  empire  of  Folly  maintains! 
Vice  shrinks  from  instruction  like  Ghost  from  the  light : 
And  Despots  shun  noon-tide  and  covet  the  night." 


The  discovery  of  the  art  of  printing  and  of  manufacturing 
paper,  gives  us  a  vast  ascendency  over  our  ancestors  in  the  pro- 
pagation of  knowledge.  Dr.  Darwin  very  properly,  and  very 
elegantly,  calls  the  "  PRINTING  PRESS"  the  most  useful  of 
modern  inventions  ;  the  capacious  reservoir  of  human  knowledge, 
whose  branching  streams  diffuse  sciences,  arts  and  morality, 
through  all  nations  and  ages." 


8 

Let  us  suppose  Confucius,  Socrates  and  Seneca,  were  per- 
mitted to  resume  the  possession  of  their  former  bodies  and  estates  ; 
and  remain  on  the  earth  for  five  years. —  Would  they  not  be 
transported  with  ecstacy,  on  beholding  a  paper-mill  and  a  printing 
press.  And  yet  would  they  not  weep  with  regret  and  wonder, 
to  find  how  few  of  the  inhabitants  even  of  civilized  and  appar- 
ently enlightened  portions  of  the  earth,  are  in  possession  of  the 
inestimable  moral  precepts  which  they  had,  with  so  much  labor 
and  solicitude,  prepared  and  bequeathed  to  mankind  ?  Seneca 
possessed  an  immense  quantity  of  wealth.  Would  he  not  seize  the 
opportunity  with  rapturous  avidity,  and  invite  his  two  benevolent 
colleagues  to  share  with  him  the  happiness,  of  enlisting,  with  his 
treasures,  every  paper-mill,  printing  press,  type-maker  and  printer, 
that  they  could  find,  and  devote  the  five  years,  totally,  to  the 
propagation  of  their  wisdom  to  the  remotest  regions  of  the 
Globe. 

"  It  is  a  truth  which  cannot  be  too  strongly  impressed,  that  of 
all  our  exertions  for  the  benefit  of  our  fellow  creatures,  the 
education  of  the  poor  is  the  most  efficacious."  —  [A/o/r.] 

Finally,  that  ignorance  is  generally  the  radical  source  of  vice 
and  poverty,  with  their  consequent  train  of  complicated  calamities ; 
and  that  intelligence  generally  produces  results  directly  the  reverse, 
are  truths  no  longer  problematical.  Facts  have  shown  their  claims 
to  the  consideration  of  the  legislator  and  the  moralist.  It  now 
only  remains  to  ascertain  the  most  expeditious,  economical,  and 
practicable  method,  by  which  the  universal  diffusion  of  useful 
knowledge  can  be  accomplished. 

In  the  early  period  of  my  youth,  a  gentleman  of  the  law,  who 
resided  in  the  vicinity  of  my  father's  house,  at  New-Lebanon, 
(  N.  Y.)  kindly  invited  me  to  make  as  much  use  of  his  excellent 
library  as  I  wished,  observing  that  he  was  pleased  to  see  young 
persons  attached  to  reading,  and  glad  to  encourage  them  in  the  im- 
provement of  their  minds.  I  accepted  the  privilege  with  gratitude, 


and  improved  it  with  persevering  assiduity,  as  far  as  my  leisure 
permitted,  for  several  years.  I  also  purchased  shares  in  two  public 
social  libraries.  At  the  age  of  1  7  years,  convinced  of  the  ines- 
timable benefits  of  reading  useful  books,  I  anxiously  desired  that 
they  might,  if  possible,  be  extended  to  the  great  mass  of  the  human 
family ;  and  endeavored  to  discover  some  effective  plan  for  this 
purpose.  Indigence,  which  in  most  nations  involves  the  majority, 
appeared  to  present  the  greatest  obstacle.  Hence  the  suggestion 
occurred  that  governments,  or  associations  of  individuals,  might 
promote  the  object,  by  establishing  in  various  districts,  free  cir- 
culating libraries,  to  be  equally  accessible  to  all  classes  and  sexes 
without  discrimination.  With  a  view  to  confirm  the  practicability 
of  the  project,  as  well  as  to  benefit  the  youth  of  the  vicinity,  I 
commenced  a  subscription  of  money  and  books,  for  the  establish- 
ment of  a  free  juvenile  library.*  The  association  consisted  of  the 
youth  of  both  sexes,  from  the  age  of  1  2  to  2  1  years,  under  the 
title  of  "  The  juvenile  society  for  the  acquisition  of  knowledge." 
As  there  is  seldom  a  youth  in  that  district  of  country,  that  has 
not  been  taught  the  art  of  reading,  the  acceptance  of  the  privilege 
was  unanimous,  and  its  effects  evidently  salutary.  The  society 
and  library  continued  to  accumulate  for  several  years.  The  per- 
manency of  the  institution  has,  however,  been  since  interrupted 
by  the  frequent  rotation  of  the  office  of  librarian,  and  by  the 
difficulty  of  enforcing  a  compliance,  with  the  bye  laws.  These 
inconveniences  might  be  avoided  by  locating  the  libraries 


*  Dr.  Moses  Younglove,  of  the  city  of  Hudson,  patronized  the  library  by  a 
donation  of  about  a  dozen  volumes  of  books,  and  addressed  to  me  an  encour- 
aging letter,  dated  at  Hudson,  19th  September,  1804,  which  he  concludes 
thus: 

11 1  am  much  gratified  to  find  your  endeavors  promising  of  utility,  so  far  be- 
yond what  1  anticipated  when  you  first  consulted  me ;  for  considering  your 
youth  and  inexperience,  I  then  feared  your  sagacity  would  be  insufficient,  but 
I  must  do  you  the  justice  to  acknowledge  the  contrary  result. 
*  From  your  friend, 

" M.  YOUNGLOVE." 


10 

permanently  in  school-houses  or  academies,  or  in  the  care  of  some 
civil  magistrate,  and  by  having  the  bye  laws  confirmed  by  the 
legislature.  The  choice  of  suitable  books  to  be  purchased  or 
admitted  in  donations,  ought  to  be  decided  by  a  competent  com- 
mittee. Well  selected  free  public  libraries,  it  is  believed,  would 
form  a  very  important  auxiliary  of  public  instruction,  in  all  our 
schools,  academies,  hospitals,  alms  houses,  cantonments,  bride- 
wells, gaols,  state  prisons,  penitentiaries,  work  houses,  &c.  &c. 

The  utility  of  this  method  of  promoting  moral  improvement 
might  be  rendered  doubly  extensive  if  governments,  or  societies 
were  to  procure  the  execution,  upon  a  large  scale,  of  several  of 
the  most  essential  books  on  the  conduct  of  life,  and  furnish  them 
to  all  free  library  companies,  at  prime  cost. — 

Having  been  at  the  city  of  Philadelphia  at  the  time  the  "  Penn- 
sylvania society  for  promoting  public  Economy,"  was  instituted  I 
communicated  a  sketch  of  the  above  plan,  in  a  letter  dated  the 
4th  June,  1817,  to  Roberts  Vaux,  Esq.  one  of  the  members  of 
the  Common  Council  of  the  city,  who  was  the  chairman  of  a 
committee,  appointed  by  the  society,  on  public  schools.  He  in- 
formed me  that  the  committee  considered  the  idea  new  and  valu- 
able, and  had  instructed  him  to  introduce  it  in  his  report  of  a  system 
of  public  education  which  it  was  contemplated  to  adopt.  He  said 
they  considered  the  plan  particularly  adapted  for  the  benefit  of 
numerous  apprentices,  who  are  prevented,  during  several  years  of 
their  service,  from  attending  public  schools,  by  their  occupa- 
tions. 

Having  formerly  published  a  small  volume  of  anonymous 
Essays  under  the  title  of  the  "Intellectual  Flambeau, "  treating 
principally  on  morals  and  the  diffusion  of  knowledge,  (from  which, 
part  of  the  materials  of  this  pamphlet  is  derived,)  the  following 
letters  were  addressed  to  me,  which,  as  they  contribute  to  eluci- 
date the  subjects  now  under  consideration,  I  think  useful  to 
insert. 


11 

From  Samuel  L.  Mitchell,  L.  L.  D.  &c. 


New  York,  June  12th,  1816. 
Sir, 

The  mail  brought  me,  a  short  time  since,  a  copy  of  your  Intel- 
lectual Flambeau.  I  find  thereby  that  you  have  exerted  your 
mind  zealously  and  long  in  favor  of  beneficence  and  knowledge. 
It  is  agreeable  to  see  your  detached  essays  and  fugitive  pieces  col- 
lected into  a  book.  It  was  fine  saying,  "  gather  up  the  fragments 
that  none  be  lost." 

It  is  a  peculiar  feature  of  our  social  condition  in  the  Fredish 
dominions,  that  information  is  so  generally  spread  among  the  peo- 
ple. There  is  another  trait  of  character,  of  no  less  importance, 
the  disposition  to  do  what  is  right.  The  theory  of  those  articles 
of  our  political  constitutions,  is  derived  from  the  consideration  that 
our  citizens,  in  the  exercise  of  the  elective  franchise,  are  wise  to 
understand,  and  virtuous  to  do,  their  duty.  And  while  this  state 
continues,  we  shall  be  the  happiest  nation  on  earth.  But  a  being 
possessed  of  knowledge  without  virtue  is  a  terrible  creature,  and 
comes  up  to  my  definition  of  a  devil. 

You  have  done  well  to  oppose  the  torrent  of  distilled  spirits 
that  is  overwhelming  the  land,  and  threatening  ruin  to  its  human 
inhabitants.  The  breaking  of  the  levee  at  New-Orleans,  or  the 
dykes  in  Holland,  is  not  half  so  dreadful  or  destructive  to  the 
prospects  of  the  proprietors  respectively,  as  the  breach  of  the 
barriers  of  temperance  by  whiskey  and  rum.  They  are  the  tor- 
ment and  poison  of  the  moral  world.  Great  indeed  will  be  the 
merit  of  him  who  can  apply  an  effectual  antidote.  In  the  distri- 
bution of  praise  in  this  world,  sufficient  credit  is  not  given  to  the 
author  of  Mahomedan  religion  for  having  forbidden  the  use  of 
vinous  liquors.  But  the  effects  of  ardent  spirits  are  by  no  means 
confined  to  the  moral  world.  They  extend  to  the  physical  part 


12 

of  man's  constitution,  and  cause  palsies,  apoplexies,  dropsies, 
drunkenness,  madness,  and  a  number  of  other  woes. 

Go  on  and  be  not  weary  in  well  doing.  Be  not  discouraged  ; 
but  continue  to  render  yourself  happy  in  endeavors  to  better  the 
condition  of  your  fellow-creatures. 

Accept  the  assurance  of  my  esteem  and  regard. 

SAMUEL  L.  MITCHILL. 

/.  Torrey,  Jun.  Esq. 


From  Isaac  Briggs,  of  the  Society  of  Friends. 

Wilmington,  Del.  6  mo.  12,  1816. 
Esteemed  Friend, 

With  pleasure  and  approbation  I  have  read  thy  little  book 
entitled,  "  The  Intellectual  Flambeau  ;  "  and  if  this  declaration 
from  me  be  deemed  by  the  author  of  any  importance,  it  is  freely 
at  his  service. 

It  has  long  been  my  settled  opinion  that  knowledge  diffused 
among  the  people,  is  the  best  foundation  for  civil  liberty  and 
happiness ;  and  the  more  extensively  it  is  diffused,  the  broader  and 
more  firm  is  the  foundation,  and  the  more  glorious  the  super- 
structure. 

To  perpetuate  the  blessing  of  liberty,  let  the  education  of  youth 
be  considered  an  important  and  honorable  employment — let  those 
who  have  plenty  assist,  gratis,  those  who  have  but  little — let  our 
youth  be  taught  by  precept  and  example,  that  in  using  our  reason- 
ing powers,  truth  is  the  only  legitimate  object,  and  that  candor 
is  always  due  to  an  opponent  in  argument. 

Thus  a  soil  may  be  prepared  in  the  youthful  mind,  from  which 
will  readily  spring  useful  knowledge  and  the  sweet  charities  of 
society  —  and  envy,  malice,  hatred  and  party-spirit  would  have 
little  or  no  room  to  grow. 


13 

Collections  of  useful  and  instructive  books  in  different  neigh- 
borhoods would,  in  my  opinion,  powerfully  promote  all  these 
valuable  ends.  A  very  light  contribution  from  the  purses  of  the 
rich  and  honorable  would,  in  every  neighborhood,  without 
expense  to  the  poorer  classes,  place  much  useful  knowledge  within 
their  reach,  and  even  invite  them  to  partake  of  it.  The  scheme 
appears  to  me  fully  worthy  of  an  experiment,  fairly  made  ;  and 
I  am  glad  to  find  that  my  friend,  the  author  of  the  Intellectual 
Flambeau,  has  devoted  some  of  his  time  and  talents  to  objects 
so  interesting. 

ISAAC  BRIGGS. 
Dr.  Jesse  Torrey,  Jan. 


From  Simon  Snider,  Gov.  of  the  state  of  Pennsylvania. 

Sir, 

Ignorance  is  the  dark  but  broad  foundation,  upon  which  the 
tyrants  of  the  bodies  and  souls  of  men  erect  their  thrones.  The 
general  diffusion  of  knowledge  is  on  the  other  hand  the  most 
efficient  means  of  destroying  the  power  of  moral  and  political 
despotism.  Few  of  mankind  comparatively  speaking,  have  the 
means  of  procuring  and  still  fewer  have  the  requisite  leisure  to 
study  and  digest  extensive  systems  of  ethics  or  politics.  Small 
tracts  are  best  suited  for  the  perusal  of  the  generality  of  mankind. 
Your  little  volume  entitled  "  The  Intellectual  Flambeau  "  appears 
to  me  well  calculated  to  diffuse  impressively,  correct  knowledge 
on  the  subject  of  morals,  and  the  political  rights  of  man.  Much 
light  on  those  interesting  subjects,  is  condensed  into  a  small  com- 
pass, and  is  within  the  reach  of  almost  every  man,  however 
limited  his  means  or  his  leisure.  Persevere  in  your  laudable  work, 
and  may  your  success  equal  your  wishes,  assured  that  you  will 
reap  that  reward  which  results  from  a  consciousness  of  having 


14 

endeavored  to  promote  the  present  and  future  happiness  of  your 
fellow  men. 

Accept  assurances  of 

personal  regard  from 

SIMON  SNYDER. 
Dr.  Jesse  Torrey,  Jun. 

Harrisburg,  8th  Not).  1816. 

From  N.  B.  Boileau,  Secretary  of  the  state  of  Pennsylvania. 

Harrisburg,  Nov.  8th,  1816. 
Sir, 

I  cordially  agree  with  the  sentiments  expressed  by  the  gover- 
nor, and  join  with  him  wishing  your  success  may  be  equal  to  your 
philanthropic  desire — that  your  little  book  may  have  its  due 
effect  in  correcting  the  habits  of  intemperance — the  too  pre- 
dominant and  prevailing  vice  of  the  present  day  —  and  that  you 
may  enjoy  the  high  satisfaction  which  springs  from  an  approving 
heart,  and  from  the  evidence  that  your  labor  has  not  been  in 
vain. 

With  best  wishes  for  your  personal  welfare 
your  ob't.  ser't. 

N.  B.  BOILEAU. 
Dr.  Jesse  Torrey,  Jun. 


A  SERIOUS  ADDRESS, 

To  the  Rising  Generation  of  the  United  States. 

Eminently  Favored  Youth, 

^CONTEMPLATE  calmly  and  attentively,  the  sacred 
\^J  legacy  which  soon  must  be  committed  to  your  charge,  in 
trust  for  your  successors  —  and  eventually  for  the  whole  human 

B 


15 

race  !  You  constitute  the  only  insulated  A  rrarat,  on  which  the 
Olive  Branch  of  Peace,  and  the  "  glad  tidings  "  of  Freedom 
and  Happiness,  can  be  deposited  and  preserved  to  a  groaning 
World,  drowned  in  tears  ! !  Prove  yourselves,  then,  deserving 
of  the  exalted  office  which  Providence  has  assigned  you.  To  do 
this,  it  is  indispensable  that  you  cultivate  your  understandings, 
and  store  them  with  the  golden  treasures  of  knowledge,  philoso- 
phy and  wisdom.  Where  these  abide  Tyranny  cannot  exist — 
no  more  than  darkness  in  the  midst  of  sun  beams.  Know  also 
that  these  will  preserve  you,  infallibly,  from  a  species  of  slavery, 
much  more  odious  and  destructive  to  human  happiness,  than  the 
most  barbarous  political  despotism  that  exists, 

Of  ignorance,  vice,  and  all  the  ven'mous  passions ; — 
Of  intemperance,  crimes,  and  a  host  of  idle  fashions. 

Virtue  and  wisdom  are  the  offspring  of  knowledge  ; —  and 
"  human  happiness,  says  Seneca,  is  founded  upon  wisdom  and 
virtue."  And  further,  that  "  philosophy  gives  us  a  veneration  for 
God,  a  charity  for  our  neighbor ;  teaches  us  our  duty  to  Heaven, 
and  exhorts  to  an  agreement  one  with  another ;  it  arms  us  against 
all  difficulties  ;  it  prompts  us  to  relieve  the  prisoner,  the  infirm,  the 
necessitous  ;  it  is  the  health  of  the  mind  ;  shines  with  an  original 
light ;  makes  us  happy  and  immortal.  In  poverty  it  gives  us  riches 
or  such  a  state  of  mind  as  makes  them  superfluous." 

My  young  friends  remember  that  you  possess  within  yourselves, 
the  innate  germ  of  wisdom,  virtue,  happiness  —  the  spirit  of  God 
in  your  hearts,  constantly  pleading  for  your  own  welfare.  You 
have  only  to  listen  to  this  friendly  monitor,  and  feed  the  sacred 
spark  with  the  light  of  instruction  and  wisdom. 

"  Wisdom,  says  Seneca,  instructs  us  in  the  way  of  nature ;  to 
live  happily  ;  teaches  us  what  things  are  good,  what  evil,  that  no 
man  can  be  happy,  but  he  that  needs  no  other  happiness  but 


16 

what  he  has  within  himself ;  no  man  to  be  great  or  powerful, 
that  is  not  master  of  himself.  That  this  is  the  felicity  of  human 
life ;  a  felicity  that  can  neither  be  corrupted  or  extinguished. — 
Nay,  says  he,  so  powerful  is  virtue,  and  so  gracious  is  Providence, 
that  every  man  has  a  light  set  up  within  himself  for  a  guide, 
which  we  do  all  of  us  both  see  and  acknowledge,  though  we  do 
not  pursue  it.*  That  a  good  man  is  happy  within  himself,  and 
independent  upon  fortune :  kind  to  his  friend ;  temperate  to  his 
enemy :  religiously  Just ;  indefatigably  laborious,  &c.  That  there 
is  not  a  duty  to  which  Providence  has  not  annexed  a  blessing. " 

Finally,  without  taking  up  the  discussion  of  future  rewards  and 
punishments,  I  must  declare  my  conviction  that  in  our  present 
stage  of  temporal  existence,  every  deviation  from  the  path  of 
rectitude  and  duty,  is  as  certainly  punished  with  its  appropriate 
penalty,  as  that  pain  is  the  inevitable  consequence  of  thrusting 
our  hands  into  fire,  and  indicates  an  equal  deficiency  of  wisdom 
and  common  sense. 

Therefore  exert  yourselves  without  delay,  to  secure  the  means 
of  enlightening  your  understandings  with  instruction.  For  this 
purpose  form  yourselves  into  societies  in  your  respective  neighbor- 
hoods, and  establish  free  libraries,  by  means  of  subscriptions,  and 
contributions  of  books. 

"  Take  fast  hold  of  instruction ;  let  her  not  go  ;  keep  her ;  for 
she  is  thy  life." 

[SOLOMON.] 

I  am  not  inclined  to  advise  you  to  restrain  yourselves  from  a 
rational  indulgence  in  innocent  athletic  amusements,  but  fail  not, 
if  you  prefer  genuine  happiness  to  misery  and  repentance,  to  de- 
vote the  most  of  your  evenings  and  leisure  hours  to  mental  im- 
provement and  reading.  Read  the  life  of  the  celebrated  Franklin 

*  *  I  know  the  right,  and  I  approve  it  too ; 
Condemn  the  wrong,  and  yet  the  wrong  pursue.11 

POPE. 


17 

and  follow  his  advice.  But  beware  of  the  Syren  snares  of 
NOVELS.  Is  not  a  beautiful  garden,  in  a  state  of  living  verdure, 
and  notice  bloom  both  more  entertaining  and  instructive,  than  a 
heap  of  counterfeit  artificial  flowers  made  of  paper,  yielding  fruits 
the  most  pernicious  ? 

Let  your  library  commence  with  the  following  books  ;  making 
about  20  volumes.  A  contribution  of  25  cents  each  from  100 
persons  would  probably  defray  the  cost  of  the  whole  of  them. 
The  youth,  not  already  trained  to  depravity,  that  can  read  merely 
these  few  books,  without  being  fascinated  with  the  pleasures  of 
science,  wisdom,  benevolence,  and  moral  rectitude,  must  be  a 
prodigy  of  stupidity  and  worthlessness. 

The  Looking  Glass  for  the  Mind,  The  Newtonian  System 
of  Philosophy  Explained,  Burton's  Lectures  to  Young  Ladies, 
Lady's  Library,  Mavor's  Abridgement  of  Natural  History,  His- 
torical Grammar,  Blair's  Grammar  of  Chemistry,  Joyce's  Scien- 
tific Dialogues,  Seneca's  Morals,  Translation  of  Xenophon's 
Socrates,  Priestly's  Considerations  for  the  use  of  Young  Men, 
Baron  Knigge's  Practical  Philosophy  of  Social  Life,  or  the  Art 
of  Conversing  with  Men,  Beauties  of  History,  History  of  Sanford 
and  Merton,  Universal  Geography,  &c. 

While  in  health,  taste  not  a  single  drop  of  distilled  spirit,  for 
except  as  a  remedy  for  some  diseases,  it  is  a  positive  poison  to 
man  or  any  other  animal ;  this  important  fact  is  demonstrated,  not 
only  by  chemical  analysis,  which  proves  that  in  the  process  of 
fermentation  the  material  of  spirit  imbibes  from  the  atmosphere 
a  substance,  called  oxygen,  the  internal  application  of  which  is 
well  known  to  be  noxious  to  animal  life ;  but  also  by  its  effects 
upon  brute  animals,  some  kinds  of  which  it  kills*  instantaneously, 
and  impedes  the  growth  of  others ! 

*  An  individual  who  was  formerly  addicted  to  the  use  of  distilled  spirits, 
stated  that  he  compelled  a  fowl  to  swallow  a  table  spoonful  of  rum,  which 
produced  immediate  death  I 


18 


Accept,  beloved  youth,  these  counsels  of  your  sincere  friend. 
Heed  them  with  fidelity ;  and  peace,  contentment,  good  will, 
and  gladness  shall  be  the  companions  of  your  lives. 

TO  PHILANTHROPISTS. 


In  the  hope  that  the  impulse  of  a  disposition  "to  do  good," 
may  influence,  some  magistrate,  physician,  tutor,  preacher, 
attorney,  private  citizen,  or  generous  youth,  in  every  district  in 
which  these  sheets  may  be  circulated  ;  to  volunteer  his  exertions 
for  the  institution  of  a  free  library,  and  reading  society,  I  have 
procured  for  publication,  a  correct  copy  of  the  Constitution 
originally  adopted  by  the  Juvenile  Library  Society  at  New- 
Lebanon.  It  was  composed  by  the  writer  of  these  pages,  at  the 
age  of  1  7  years.  The  language  or  plan  can  be  varied  as  may 
be  found  expedient. 

THE  CONSTITUTION 

Of  the  New  Lebanon  Juvenile  Society  for  the  Acquisition  of 
Knowledge. 

New-Lebanon,  March  12,  1804. 

WHEREAS  we  the  youth  of  New-Lebanon,  are  fully 
convinced  that  it  is  indispensably  necessary  for  our  hap- 
piness and  welfare,  that  we  cultivate  our  understandings,  improve 
our  morals,  and  acquire  useful  knowledge  while  we  are  young, 
and  while  our  minds  are  susceptible  of  improvement.  And  there- 
fore we  do  hereby  agree  to  associate,  and  form  ourselves  into  a 
Society,  for  the  purpose  of  establishing  a  Library,  improving  our 
minds  and  acquiring  useful  Knowledge. —  And  we  do  agree 
ordain  and  determine: — 


19 

1 .  That  this  Society  shall  meet  together  every  first  Monday 
in  March,  and  choose  from  among   themselves,  a  President, 
Librarian,  Secretary,  and  a  committee  of  five,  who  shall  transact 
the  business  of  the  Society  and  continue  in  office  until  others 
are  duly  elected. 

2.  The  President,  or  in  his  absence  the  Librarian  and  three 
others  of  the  committee,  shall  form  a  board  competent  to  transact 
all  business  of  the  Society ;  or  in  the  absence  of  the  President 
and  Librarian,  four  of  the  committee,  who  shall  choose  a  chair- 
man for  the  present  meeting. 

3.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  President  to  preside  at  the 
meetings  and  superintend  the  concerns  of  the  Society ;  and  to 
give  advice  as  to  the  purchase  of  suitable  books,  &c. 

4.  It  shall  be  the  business  of  the  Librarian  to  keep  the  books 
carefully  that  belong  to  this  Society,  and  write  on  each  of  them, 
that  it  belongs  to  "  The  Library  of  the  New-Lebanon  Juvenile 
Society  for  the  Acquisition  of  Knowledge ; "  to  receive  all  con- 
tributions of  money  or  books  that  may  be  made  by  the  friends 
of  knowledge  and  virtue  for  the  encouragement  and  benefit  of 
the  Society  ;  to  receive  all  books  that  may  be  lent  to  the  Society : 
to  keep  a  separate  catalogue  of  them,  and  an  account  of  the 
fines  received  upon  them,  which  shall  be  paid  to  the  owners  of 
the  books ;  to  collect  fines  and  money  subscribed,  which  money 
he  shall  lay  out  for  books  and  such  other  articles  as  he  shall  deem 
necessary  to  promote  the  interest  of  the  Society  ;  to  keep  a  record 
of  the  books  drawn,  and  an  account,  of  receipts  and  expenditures, 
and  to  keep  all  the  papers  and  writings  belonging  to  this  Society. 

5.  It  shall  be  the  office  of  the  Secretary  to  write  a  record  of 
the  proceedings  and  resolutions  of  the  Society.    And  as  this 
association  is  formed  with  a  view  to  diffuse  useful  knowledge, 
and  promote  virtue  as  extensively  as  possible,  the  Secretary  shall 
exhibit  on  the  meeting  house  of  New  Lebanon,  once  in  every  six 
months,  an  advertisement,  inviting  all  the  youth  of  New  Lebanon, 

B2 


20 

between  the  age  of  1  2  and  2  1  years,  to  join  this  Society :  and 
the  Librarian  is  authorised  to  admit  all  such  youth  as  members 
of  the  Society,  on  signing  these  articles ;  but  no  person  shall  be 
a  member  of  the  Society,  who  is  not  between  the  aforesaid  ages. 

6.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  committee  to  examine  the  books 
returned  at  each  meeting ;  and  on  all  books  damaged  by  ill  usage, 
they  shall  lay  such  fines  as  they  shall  deem  just  and  reasonable  : 
tearing,  greasing,  dirtying,  and  turning  leaves  down  to  be  con- 
sidered as  damages  done  by  ill  usage. 

7.  The  stated  monthly  meetings  of  this  Society  shall  be  held 
at  the  house  of  the  Librarian,  on  the  first  Monday  in  every 
month  in  the  year,  at  six  o'clock  in  the  afternoon ;  when  every 
book  before  drawn  out,  shall  be  returned,  in  order  that  they  may 
be  inspected  and  that  a  new  drawing  of  books  may  take  place. 
And  any  member  that  draws  a  book  and  neglects  to  return  it 
before  the  stated  time  aforesaid,  shall  pay  a  fine  of  six  cents,  and 
one   cent  per  day  thereafter   until   it  is  returned ;  and  if  not 
returned  within  two  months  after  it  was  drawn  out,  the  delinquent 
shall  pay  for  the  book  at  the  appraisal  of  the  committee. 

8.  Any  member  that  is  indebted  to  the  Society  for  fines  or 
otherwise,  and  neglects  to  pay  the  debt  within  one  month  after 
it  becomes  due,  shall  be  prohibited  the  use  of  the  Library  until 
it  is  paid. 

9.  Any  member  returning  a  book,  before  drawn,  to  the 
Librarian,  before  another  meeting,  may  draw  any  other  one  found 
in  the  library. 

1 0.  The  members  of  this  Society  shall  be  divided  into  six 
classes,  alphabetically,  according  to  the  first  letters  of  their  sir 
names,  the  beginning  of  the  alphabet  to  draw  first,  the  second 
class  to  draw  next,  and  so  on  at  the  first,  meeting ;  at  the  next 
meeting  the  first  class  to  draw  last,  and  the  second  class  first,  and 
so  on  from  time  to  time,  by  just  rotation,  each  class  agreeing 
among  themselves  who  shall  draw  first. 


21 

1  1 .  This  Constitution  may  at  any  time  hereafter  be  amended 
or  altered  if  found  necessary,  by  the  agreement  and  consent  of 
two  third  parts  of  the  members  of  this  Society  and  not  otherwise. 

12.  The  Librarian  may,  if  he  shall  see  fit,  hire  out  books  to 
persons  not  members  of  this  Society,  at  the  rate  of  six  cents  per 
week  for  each  book. 

1  3.  We  do  agree  to  pay  to  the  Librarian,  the  sums  of  money 
or  its  value  in  such  books  as  he  will  accept,  set  against  our 
names,  which  money  he  shall  lay  out  for  books  for  the  use  of  the 
Society. 

We  whose  names  are  subscribed  do  solemnly  engage  to  con- 
form ourselves  to  this  Constitution.  In  witness  whereof  we  have 
hereunto  set  our  names." 

Q.      ,  5  JESSE  TORREY,  Jun. 
Slgned'£       and  by  147  others. 

The  following  form  of  an  instrumnet  for  subscription,  is  as 
nearly  similar  as  I  can  recollect,  to  the  one  which  I  prepared  and 
circulated  among  the  citizens  of  New  Lebanon,  during  the 
winter  evenings  in  1  803  and  4.  The  amount  generally  sub- 
scribed by  each  was  fifty  cents  ; —  some  subscribed  a  dollar  and 
some  25  cents ;  others  contributed  books.  The  young  persons 
of  both  sexes,  who  were  possessed  of  means,  also,  generally  sub- 
scribed from  1  2  cents  to  a  dollar,  on  signing  the  articles  of  the 
constitution.  But  many  were  admitted  who  contributed  nothing. 

Form  of  Subscription  for  Free  Libraries. 

The  subscribers,  impressed  with  the  belief,  that  the  general 
dissemination  of  useful  knowledge  and  instruction  among  the 
rising  generation,  would  tend  to  the  promotion  of  virtue  and  hap- 
piness, agree  to  contribute  and  pay  to the  amount,  or 

its  value  in  useful  books,  set  respectively  against  our  names ;  to 


22 

be  appropriated  to  the  institution  of  a  free  circulating  library. 

And  whenever  twelve  youth,  of  either  sex,  between  the  age 

of  1 2  and  2  1  years,  shall  have  associated  for  the  purpose  of 

mental  improvement,  the  aforesaid  — is  authorised  to 

deliver  the  money  or  books  by  us  subscribed  and  paid,  to  such 
agent  or  committee  as  shall  be  appointed  by  the  society  to  re- 
ceive the  same  for  the  above  mentioned  purpose.. 


ESSAYS 

On  the  pernicious  effects  of  the  habitual  intemperate  or 
temperate  use  of  Spirituous  Liquors. 

Verily  and  sincerely  is  my  conviction  of  the  notorious  fact, 
that,  independent  of  all  the  other  infernal  marshals  that  annoy 
mankind  under  the  banners  of  Ignorance,  the  grand  head  traitress, 
(  making  the  brain  her  AeaJ-quarters  )  Intemperance,  her  com- 
manding chief,  directing  a  fiery,  deathly  army  of  assassins,  con- 
sisting of  millions  of  battalions  of  half  gills,  gills,  half  pints  and 
pints  of  whiskey,  gin,  rum,  brandy,  &c.  &c.  treacherously  and 
murderously  betraying  their  poisoned  arrows,  (with  a  smile  and 
a  kiss  )  into  the  sanguem  cordis  (  heart's  blood  )  of  their  dearest 
lovers  and  friends ;  commits,  annually,  greater  and  more  irretriev- 
able depredations  on  the  lives,  health,  wealth,  domestic  harmony, 
virtue  and  morals,  and  physical  power  of  the  aggregate  popula- 
tion of  the  republic  of  the  United  States,  than  a  numerous 
hostile  army  could  inflict  by  a  perpetual  warfare ! 

A  few  days  after  having  written  the  above  paragraph,  looking 
over  a  bundle  of  old  pamphlets,  I  met  with  an  account  of  the 
proceedings  of  that  benevolent  association  of  people  generally 
styled  Qyakers,  "  for  promoting  the  improvement  and  civilization 
of  the  Indian  natives." —  Here  I  found  a  speech  addressed  to  the 
committee  of  Friends,  at  Baltimore,  by  the  Indian  Chief  called 
the  Little  Turtle,  in  1 802.  I  consider  it  a  still  more  superb  and 


23 

moving  specimen  of  Indian  eloquence  than  that  of  Logan  —  It 
is  a  pathetic  sermon  or  epitaph  on  thousands  of  his  poisoned 
brethren !  As  short  as  it  is,  before  I  could  go  through  it,  I  was 
several  times  compelled  to  pause,  until  I  could  suppress  the 
sympathetic  emotions  which  it  excited,  and  recover  my  inter- 
rupted vision  from  irresistible  suffusions  of  moisture.  Who,  that 
has  not  a  heart  of  flint  and  an  eye  of  horn,  can  view  this  picture, 
drawn  by  an  unlettered  savage,  and  then  wheel  his  eye  over  the 
frightful  portraiture,  (  as  large,  and  no  less  real  than  life  )  which 
exhibits  the  present  assimilated  condition  of  us  civilized  white 
men,  with  apathy  ?  Here  is  the  speech  : — 

"Brothers  and  friends — When  our  forefathers  first  met  on 
this  island,  your  red  brethren  were  very  numerous.  But  since  the 
introduction  amongst  us  of  what  you  call  spirituous  liquors,  and 
what  we  think  may  be  justly  called  POISON  our  numbers  are 
greatly  diminished.  It  has  destroyed  a  great  part  of  your  red 
brethren. 

"  My  Brothers  and  Friends — We  plainly  perceive,  that  you 
see  the  very  evil  which  destroys  your  red  brethren  ;  it  is  not  an  evil 
of  our  own  making ;  we  have  not  placed  it  amongst  ourselves ; 
it  is  an  evil  placed  amongst  us  by  the  white  people ;  we  look  to 
them  to  remove  it  out  of  our  country.  We  tell  them — brethren 
fetch  us  useful  things  ;  bring  goods  that  will  clothe  us,  our  women 
and  our  children,  and  not  this  evil  liquor  that  destroys  our  reason, 
that  destroys  our  health,  that  destroys  our  lives.  But  all  we  can 
say  on  this  subje<!t  is  of  no  service,  nor  gives  relief  to  your  red 
brethren. 

"  My  Brothers  and  Friends — I  rejoice  to  find  that  you  agree 
in  opinion  with  us,  and  express  an  anxiety  to  be,  if  possible,  of 
service  to  us  in  removing  this  great  evil  out  of  our  country ;  an 
evil  which  has  had  so  much  room  in  it,  and  has  destroyed  so 
many  of  our  lives,  that  it  causes  our  young  men  to  say,  "  we  had 
better  be  at  war  with  the  white  people,  this  liquor  which  they 


24 

introduce  into  our  country,  is  more  to  be  feared  than  the  gun  and 
the  tomahawk.  There  are  more  of  us  dead  since  the  treaty  of 
Greenville,  than  we  lost  by  the  six  years  war  before.  It  is  all 
owing  to  the  introduction  of  this  liquor  amongst  us." 

"Brothers  —  When  our  young  men  have  been  out  hunting, 
and  are  returning  home  loaded  with  skins  and  furs,  on  their  way, 
if  it  happens  that  they  come  along  where  some  of  this  whiskey  is 
deposited, the  white  man  who  sells  it, tells  themtotake  a  little  drink; 
some  of  them  will  say  no,  I  do  not  want  it ;  they  go  on  till  they 
come  to  another  house,  where  they  find  more  of  the  same  kind 
of  drink ;  it  is  there  offered  again ;  they  refuse ;  and  again  the 
third  time ;  but  finally  the  fourth  or  fifth  time  one  accepts  of  it 
and  takes  a  drink,  and  getting  one,  he  wants  another ;  and  then 
a  third  and  fourth,  till  his  senses  have  left  him.  After  his  reason 
comes  back  again  to  him,  when  he  gets  up  and  finds  where  he 
is,  he  asks  for  his  peltry — the  answer  is  "  you  have  drank  them  "- 
where  is  my  gun  ?  "  It  is  gone ; "  where  is  my  blanket  ?  "  It  is 
gone  ; "  where  is  my  shirt  ?  "  You  have  sold  it  for  whiskey  I ! " 
Now,  Brothers,  figure  to  yourselves  what  condition  this  man  must 
be  in.  He  has  a  family  at  home ;  a  wife  and  children,  who 
stand  in  need  of  the  profits  of  his  hunting. — What  must  be  their 
wants,  when  he  himself  is  even  without  a  shirt ! " 

One  of  the  most  prominent  advantages  of  civilization  over  the 
savage  state,  is  considered  to  be  the  protection  of  the  rights  of 
the  social  compact  and  its  members,  by  equitable  laws,  from 
aggressions  of  individuals.  Let  us  inquire  whether  the  habitual 
drinker  of  distilled  spirits  does  not,  first  by  anticipation,  and 
eventually  in  reality,  plunder  the  public  treasury  ?  A  rich  man, 
or  a  poor  man,  no  matter  which,  (for  Intemperance,  like  its 
legitimate  successor,  Death,  soon  levels  all  distinctions  as  to  for- 
tune, and  the  former  does  also,  in  dignity  and  respectability) 
and  perhaps  honest,  except  his  fatal  mistake,  of  being  willing 
to  sacrifice  his  health,  life,  property,  reputation,  his  wife  and 


25 

children,  together  with  almost  every  source  of  social  enjoyment 
to  the  heathenish  God  of  stills,  swallows  daily  the  worth  of  a 
given  amount  in  distilled  spirits,  exceeding  the  collateral  income 
of  his  trade,  farm  or  labor,  exclusive  of  what  is  required  for  cus- 
tomary family  expenses.  Hence,  if  mathematical  computation 
tells  the  truth,  this  unfortunate  man,  together  with  his  family,  so 
far  as  any  or  all  are  incapable  of  labor,  within  one,  two,  four, 
eight  or  sixteen  years  according  to  the  case,  are  inevitably 
pushed  into  a  situation  that  demands  the  compassion  and  charity 
of  the  public  and  of  his  more  prudent  neighbors.  It  is  an  ancient 
and  established  truth,  that  a  stitch  in  time  saves  nine,  although 
but  little  heeded,  and  that  an  ounce  of  prevention  is  worth  a 
pound  of  cure.  General  knowledge  is  the  only  infallible  remedy 
for  this  moral  pestilence.  To  American  Sages,  therefore, 

The  aggriev'd  Genius  of  America  appeals: 

To  apply  the  SOVEREIGN  BALM,  and  relieve  those  ills. 

A  statement  has  been  communicated  to  me,  from  an  authentic 
source,  that  one  of  our  most  distinguished  statesmen,  having 
been  a  candidate  for  a  seat  in  one  of  our  State  Legislatures, 
disdained  to  dishonor  himself  and  his  country,  by  purchasing 
the  suffrages  of  his  fellow  citizens,  with  distilled  spirits  ;  the  con- 
sequence of  which  obstinacy  was,  that  an  ignorant  grog-seller, 
who  could  neither  read  nor  write  his  name,  not  being  over  nice 
about  honor,  by  distributing  whiskey  profusely  amongst  the 
electors,  obtained  the  appointment.*  With  much  pain  I  have 
also  lately  learned  the  following  alarming  fact,  from  credible 
authority :  A  philanthropic  member  of  the  Legislative  Council 

*  This  method  of  quickening  the  senses  of  American  citizens  to  an  under- 
standing of  their  interests,  has  been  successfully  practised  for  many  years  in 
several  of  the  states,  by  candidates  for  seats  in  Congress.  And  yet  we  pom- 
pously and  Justly  too,  style  ourselves  the  most  enlightened,  virtuous,  free  and 
happy  nation  on  earth. 


26 

of  one  of  the  capital  cities  of  the  United  States,  clearly  recog- 
nizing the  calamitous  consequences,  proceeding  from  the  exist- 
ence of  the  great  number  of  tippling  shops,  sanctioned  by  the 
public  authorities,  in  vain  exerted  his  efforts  for  a  reduction  of  the 
number  of  these  whirlpools  of  destruction  and  woe,  for  two  years, 
when,  being  discouraged,  he  withdrew  from  that  employment 
with  chagrin.  One  of  the  members  was  so  ingenuous  as  to  ac- 
knowledge, that  the  reason  why  he  could  not  unite  with  him  in 
effecting  that  object  was,  that  he  obtained  his  living  by  selling 
distilled  spirits  to  the  retailers  by  the  barrel,  and  that  the  retailers 
got  their  living  by  selling  it  to  others  in  smaller  quantities !  On 
hearing  this,  I  exclaimed,  "  if  there  be  a  city  in  the  United  States, 
the  public  agents  of  which  are  governed  in  their  proceedings  by 
such  motives,  then  the  Lord  have  mercy  on  that  city." 

The  dawn  of  this  day  had  not  commenced,  when  the  pre- 
ceding thoughts  and  facts  glanced  thro*  my  mind  in  instantaneous 
succession. 

As  the  sun  began  to  ascend  and  diffuse  its  golden  radiance 
over  the  American  hemisphere ;  while  I  alternately  beheld  this 
majestic  agent  of  the  Creator,  and  the  venerable  walls  of  the  last 
and  only  solitary  castle,*  in  which  the  persecuted  Genius  of 
Liberty  is  permitted  to  dwell  throughout  this  vast  Globe,  the 
following  ejaculation  sprang  spontaneously  from  my  melted 
heart :  "  God  of  the  Universe,  enlighten  my  soul  with  the  fire 
of  thy  spirit ; —  permit  me  to  be  the  humble  organ  through  which 
a  spark  thereof  may  be  transmitted  to  the  souls  of  men  in  the 
United  States  of  America,  that  a  bright  flame  may  be  thereby 
kindled  in  their  minds,  that  shall  display  clearly  to  their  senses, 
a  view  of  the  fatal  and  inextricable  vortex  into  which  they  are 
gradually  and  unwarily  plunging  themselves  and  their  posterity  ! " 
I  then  yielded  to  an  irresistible  impulse,  which  enjoined  it  on 

*  The  Capitol  of  the  United  States. 


27 

me  to  devote  the  preceding  day  to  the  execution  of  this  essay, 
which,  if  it  prove  the  means  of  protecting  a  single  innocent 
female,  and  her  babes  from  the  venomous  jaws  of  the  most  cruel 
hydra  that  is  permitted  to  enter  our  dwellings  and  receive  our 
voluntary  embraces  and  cordial  hospitalities  ;  to  me,  it  will  afford 
a  superior  compensation  to  that  of  possessing  all  the  diamonds  of 
all  the  Monarchs  of  Europe. 

NOTE. — Having  written  the  above  essay,  while  at  the  City  of  Wash- 
ington in  1815,  it  Was  published  originally  in  the  National  Intelligencer. 


PHENOMENON 

Of  extracting  the  greatest  Good  from  the  worst  Evil. 

I  shall  employ  this  opportunity  to  announce  to  the  citizens  of 
the  United  States  my  determination  to  circulate,  as  extensively 
as  possible,  throughout  the  country,  memorials  to  the  Congress, 
and  also  to  the  state  Legislatures,  praying  that  sufficient  funds  may 
be  raised,  by  a  liberal  system  of  duties  on  ARDENT  SPIRITS, 
for  the  universal  establishment  of  FREE  LANCASTRIAN 

SCHOOLS,  AND  FREE  PUBLIC  LIBRARIES. 

Spirituous  liquors  ought  to  be  answerable  for  the  mischiefs 
which  they  produce. 

"  From  a  report  of  an  association  in  Portland,  called  the  Moral 
Society,  it  appears  that  out  of  85  persons  subject  to  the  public 
charity  in  that  place,  7 1  had  become  so  from  their  intemperance, 
and  that  out  of  1  1 8  supplied  at  their  own  houses  by  the  town, 
more  than  half  are  of  that  description.  The  expences  of  the 
town  in  its  charities  exceed  6000  dollars,  and  more  than  two 
thirds  of  that  sum  went  to  support  such  persons  as  were  made 
poor  by  their  vices.  Of  consequence,  7000  persons  are  taxed 
4000  dollars  by  the  vices  of  their  neighbors.  From  these  well 
known  facts  the  report  proceeds  to  calculate  almost  a  half  million 


28 

of  dollars  paid  in  the  same  way  in  this  state  only,  and  if  in  the 
same  proportion  in  the  United  States,  the  whole  amount  must  be 
millions.  We  all  enquire  what  can  be  done.  We  cannot  take 
away  personal  liberty.  We  cannot  prohibit  spirituous  liquors. 
We  cannot  punish  persons  not  convicted  of  any  breach  of  the 
laws.  We  cannot  distinguish  in  the  business  of  life,  because  the  rich 
are  sometimes  as  blame-worthy  as  their  less  wealthy  neighbors. 
We  can  say  that  when  any  persons  are  committed  to  the 
public  charity,  they  shall  be  properly  guarded  against  temptations. 
That  their  habits  shall  be  considered,  and  all  restraints  which 
can  consist  with  health,  shall  be  laid.  We  might  hope  that  some 
laws  of  education  and  life  might  obtain.  But  as  no  love  of  fame, 
no  great  talents,  or  public  trusts,  can  be  said  to  have  been  suf- 
ficient to  prevent  men  and  nations  from  the  guilt  and  the  shame 
of  intemperance  we  have  a  right  in  the  administration  of  charity 
to  regard  not  only  the  health  and  hopes  of  the  sufferers,  but  the 
safety  and  the  economy  of  civil  society." 

The  report  of  the  Moral  Society  exhibits  the  ravages  of  in- 
temperance on  properly.  The  following  lines,  which  I  cut  out 
of  one  of  the  Philadelphia  newspapers  a  year  ago,  depict  its 
barbarous  inroads  upon  domestic  felicity ;  in  comparison  with 
which  money  is  "trash. " 

DISSIPATION. 

Not  the  jaws  of  Charybdis  nor  the  hoarse  rocks  in  Scylla, 
Not  all  the  fell  dangers  that  lurk  in  the  deep. 

Not  the  earthquake's  deep  yawn,  nor  the  volcano's  lava, 
Not  the  pestilence's  breath,  or  the  hurricane's  sweep ; 

Not  all  the  dread  monsters  that  live  thro*  creation 
Have  caused  such  destruction,  such  mis'ry  and  woe, 

As  from  that  arch  pest  of  mankind,  Dissipation, 
Through  the  civilized  world  incessantly  flow. 


29 

'Tis  a  vortex  insatiate  on  whose  giddy  bosom 
The  victim  is  whirl'd  till  his  senses  are  gone, 

Till,  lost  to  all  shame  and  the  dictates  of  reason, 
He  lends  not  one  effort  to  ever  return. 

Ah !  view  on  its  surface  the  ruins  of  genius, 

The  wreck  of  a  scholar,  the  christian  and  friend ! 

The  learning,  the  wit,  the  graces  that  charm'd  us, 
In  the  mind-drowning  bowl  meet  a  premature  end. 

Ah  !  hear,  drown'd  in  tears,  the  disconsolate  mother, 
Lament  the  lost  state  of  a  favorite  son, 

Hear  the  wife  and  the  child,  the  sister  and  brother 
Mourn  a  husband,  a  father,  a  brother  undone. 


One  of  the  principal  funnels  to  the  insatiable  vortex  of  in- 
temperance is  the  generally  prevailing  popular  error,  that  the 
temperate  use  of  ardent  spirits  is  innocent  and  even  healthful  and 
necessary.  I  was  chilled  with  surprise  and  almost  with  despair, 
to  hear  several  of  the  chosen  guardians  of  our  national  welfare, 
standing  in  their  places  in  the  House  of  Representatives,  pro- 
claim their  sentiments  that  "  distilled  spirits  had  become  one  of 
the  necessaries  of  life,  that  the  farmer  could  not  do  without  it  in 
his  agricultural  labors,  and  that  to  impose  heavy  taxes  on  it 
would  be  oppressive  to  industry. "  *  But  I  was  much  gratified 
however,  to  see  that  a  majority,  ( though  a  very  small  one  )  were 
of  a  different  opinion.  It  was  strongly  urged  by  one  gentleman 
that  whiskey  is  an  important  article  of  manufacture  ;  that  it  adds 
» 

*  "  Let  it  not  be  said  ardent  spirits  have  become  necessary  from  habit  in 
harvest,  and  in  other  seasons  of  uncommon  and  hard  labor.  The  habit  is  a 
bad  one,  and  may  be  easily  broken.  Let  but  half  a  dozen  farmers  combine 
in  a  neighborhood  to  allow  higher  wages  to  their  laborers,  &c." — DR.  RUSH. 
The  farmers  in  one  of  the  counties  of  Pennsylvania  have  lately  adopted 
public  resolutions  to  suppress  the  use  of  distilled  spirits  amongst  their  laborers, 
at  all  seasons. 

c 


30 

to  the  wealth  of  this  nation,  and  ought  to  be  encouraged  by  our 
government.  The  eye  that  cannot  perceive  that  the  reverse  is 
the  fact  must  be  both  morally  and  politically  blind.  For  a  com- 
munity to  permit  or  encourage  the  importation  or  manufacture 
of  distilled  spirits,  for  the  sake  of  the  revenue  derived  therefrom, 
is  precisely  the  same  policy  as  it  would  be  to  institute  premiums 
for  the  construction  of  daggers  to  stab  its  own  vitals  with. 

Extract  from  Darwin's  Zoonomia  Sec.  30.  "  When  the  ex- 
pediency of  laying  a  further  tax  on  the  distillation  of  spirituous 
liquors  from  grain  was  canvassed  before  the  House  of  Commons 
some  years  ago,  it  was  said  of  the  distillers,  with  great  truth, 
"  they  take  the  BREAD  from  the  people  and  convert  it  into 
POISON !  "  Yet  is  this  big  manufactory  of  disease  permitted 
to  continue,  as  appears  by  its  paying  into  the  treasury  above 
/.900,000,t  near  a  million  of  money  annually.  And  thus,  under 
the  names  of  Rum,  Brandy,  Gin,  Whiskey,  usquebaugh,  wine, 
cyder,  beer,  and  porter,  alcohol  is  become  the  bane  of  the 
Christian  world,  as  opium  of  the  Mahometan. 

Evoe !  parce,  Liber, 

Parce,  gravi  metuende  thyrso  !  —  HOR." 

O !  from  grievous  sting  of  Bacchus*  fatal  dart, 
Be  preserv'd  :  —  defend  yourself  with  all  your  art ! 

But  it  is  almost  as  useless  to  expostulate  with  veterans  in  the 
ranks  of  Bacchus,  as  with  those  who  are  confident  that  they  are 
under  the  power  of  witchcraft.  This  fact  is  well  illustrated  by 
the  reply  of  a  boozy  tipler,  to  a  Quaker  of  Baltimore,  who  in- 
formed me  that  he  was  representing  to  him  the  terrible  conse- 
quences of  intemperance,  "  I  have  no  doubt,  said  he,  but  that 

t  About  4,000,000  dollars. 


31 

all  you  say  is  true,  but  you  might  as  well  sing  psalms  to  a  dead 
horse  as  to  talk  to  me."  Yet  let  us  not  forget  that  these  unfor- 
tunate victims  of  their  own  weakness  and  imprudence  are  still 
men;  and  claim  our  sympathy  and  commiseration  for  their 
want  of  discretion.  And  if  warnings  and  entreaties  will  not  pre- 
vail, let  us  resort  to  more  efficacious  means  for  their  relief,  as 
well  as  for  the  protection  of  the  common  interest  against  the 
effects  of  their  conduct.  Reproachful  denunciations,  however, 
are  not  only  useless,  but  injurious  and  uncharitable.  "  We  all 
enquire  what  can  be  done  ?  We  cannot  take  away  personal 
liberty."  &c.  What  is  liberty  ?  Does  it  permit  one  individual  to 
deprive  another,  directly  or  indirectly  of  the  fruits  of  his  toil  and 
prudence  ?  What  is  the  difference,  except  in  a  criminal  point  of 
view,  whether  my  neighbor  picks  my  pocket  or  places  his  weep- 
ing starving  wife  and  children  in  such  a  situation,  that  I  must 
either  empty  my  pocket  myself  to  relieve  them,  or  see  them 
perish  ?  It  is  lamentable,  as  well  as  astonishing  that  so  few  of 
our  citizens  have  granted  this  subject  its  lawful  weight  either  in 
the  scales  of  policy,  morality,  physics  or  religion.  Is  there  an  in- 
dividual who  is  not  now  affected,  more  or  less,  in  some  shape 
or  other,  from  the  immense  deficit  in  the  national  wealth,  oc- 
casioned by  the  appropriation  of  20,000,000  dollars  annually 
during  the  last  twenty  years,  to  a  threefold  worse  purpose  than 
annihilation  ?  Twice  we  have  bravely  resisted  and  spurned 
political  despotism,  and  at  length  we  have  prostrated  our  necks 
under  the  sceptre  of  king  ALCOHOL. —  With  an  incredible  in- 
fatuation we  have  sacrificed  the  golden  presents  of  Ceres  on  the 
hissing  copper  altars  of  crazy  Bacchus.  Were  I  allowed  the 
privilege  of  obliterating  the  two  greatest  scourges  of  mankind,  I 
would  select  the  art  of  distilling  food,  and  the  art  of  war.  I  am 
not  disposed  to  attach  any  degree  of  moral  turpitude,  to  manu- 
facturers or  sellers  of  ardent  spirits ;  but  it  does  not  seem  to  me 
that  if  they  would  revolve  and  scrutinize  the  subject  in  its  real 


32 

genuine  character,  they  would  not  hestitate  to  renounce  an  em- 
ployment which  involves  in  its  development,  the  propagation  of 
so  much  human  misery  and  wretchedness.*  But  the  nation  must 
take  this  matter  in  hand,  or  nothing  essential  can  be  done. 

The  safety  of  the  nation  is  at  stake !  Let  the  question  be 
fairly  stated  :  — it  is,  whether  Reason  or  Alcohol  shall  predomi- 
nate ?  Or, 

Reason,  Virtue,  the  Lives, 
Health,  Wealth, 
Morals  and  Happiness 
of  our  citizens  !  I 

versus 

Alcohol,  Intemperance, 
Vice,  Poverty  and 
Misery,  Crimes  and  Infamy, 
Disease  and  Death  I ! 

Let  the  tribunal  consist  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  United  States, 
male  and  female,  old  and  young,  of  whatever  condition,  as 
jurors :  and  their  legislators  as  judges. —  Let  every  one  that  can 
speak  say  yea  or  nay,  and  record  it  with  his  or  her  name  or 
mark.  We  know  women  and  children  are  not  allowed  a  voice 
in  making  laws,  but  in  this  case  particularly,  their  fate  is  seriously 
concerned,  and  their  voices  ought  to  be  listened  to,  and  duly 
regarded.  Let  the  public  will  be  called  forth  by  meetings  and 
memorials.  Let  it  be  ascertained  whether  the  majority  prefer 
self-preservation  or  self-destruction.  Dr.  Rush  says,  "  let  good 

*  A  merchant  of  Virginia  by  the  name  of  Scholfield,  listened  to  his  con- 
science, and  burnt  all  his  distilled  liquors  publicly  on  the  summit  of  a  mountain. 
Another  in  Delaware,  beat  in  the  heads  of  his  casks.  A  respectable  French 
gentleman  having  purchased  an  estate  at  Buffaloe  (N.  Y.)  on  which  was  a 
distilling  establishment,  demolished  it  immediately  on  taking  possession,  saying 
he  ' '  had  done  one  good  deed. 


33 

men  of  every  class  unite  and  besiege  the  general  and  state  gov- 
ernments with  petitions  to  limit  the  number  of  taverns  ;  to  impose 
heavy  duties  upon  ardent  spirits,  &c." 

Another  writer  who  has  given  a  lively  picture  of  the  devas- 
tations of  distilled  liquors,  says,  "  let  men  who  wish  well  to  their 
country,  unite  in  petitions  to  government,  to  impose  still  heavier 
duties  upon  imported  spirits,  and  our  own  distillers ;  and  to  reg- 
ulate taverns  and  retailers  of  spirits ;  and  to  secure  the  property 
of  habitual  drunkards,  for  the  benefit  of  their  families." 

There  has  been  "  much  speaking,"  much  writing,  much  print- 
ing, and  much  preaching,  on  this  subject,  and  but  little  benefit 
seems  to  result  from  the  whole.  It  is  time  to  try  a  little  doing. 
This  will  accomplish  much  more  than  talking.  "  Therefore  who- 
soever heareth  these  sayings  of  mine,  and  doeth  them,  I  will  liken 
him  unto  a  wise  man,  which  built  his  house  upon  a  rock."  — 
[  JESUS.  ]  Let  our  "  good  men,"  of  whom  the  number  is  un- 
doubtedly great,  adopt  the  beautiful  maxim  of  the  late  Cotton 
Mather,  author  of  "  Essays  to  do  good, "  "  that  a  power  and  an 
opportunity  to  do  good,  not  only  gives  a  right  to  the  doing  of  it, 
but  makes  the  doing  of  it  a  duty."  The  inducement  for  doing 
good,  ought  to  be  further  strengthened  by  the  circumstance  that 
it  carries  with  it  its  own  reward ;  or  as  I  once  heard  a  public 
speaker  of  the  Friends'  Society  elegantly  express  the  sentiment, 
"  that  while  you  are  plucking  thorns  from  your  neighbor's 
breast,  you  are  strewing  your  own  path  with  flowers. "  It  is  in 
the  power  of  men  of  affluence  to  be  the  most  active  in  effecting 
a  reformation  of  the  public  morals,  and  in  point  of  interest  they 
are  also  most  concerned. 

I  have  prepared  the  following  forms  of  memorials,  which  it  is 
my  intention  to  offer  for  signature  as  widely  as  it  may  be  in  my 
power ;  and  I  do  most  ardently  hope  they  may  be  transcribed 
and  presented  in  every  house  occupied  by  human  inhabitants, 
in  the  United  States. —  Preachers,  School-masters,  Post  masters, 


34 

and  others  to  whom  it  may  be  convenient  and  agreeable,  are 
respectfully  invited  to  co-operate  in  this  exceedingly  necessary 
work.  Let  us  not  shrink  from  the  task,  on  account  of  its  mag- 
nitude, and  the  fear  of  its  impracticability.  And  if  we  even  fail 
to  accomplish  all  that  we  would,  there  is  still  a  self  satisfaction, 
and  must  be  some  utility,  in  doing  all  that  we  can. 

Memorial  of  Sundry  inhabitants  of  the  United  States  of 
America,  to  the  President,  Senate,  and  House  of  Representa- 
tives ;  —  praying  that  laws  may  be  enacted  for  the  suppression 
of  the  unnecessary  use  of  spirituous  liquors,  and  for  the  general 
diffusion  of  knowledge. 

Whereas  we  the  subscribers  view  with  deep  concern,  the 
alarming  and  increasing  extent  of  the  moral,  political  and  physical 
calamities  produced  by  the  vast  consumption  of  spirituous  liquors 
in  our  country.  The  reality  of  the  evil  is  so  conspicuous  and 
palpable,  that  it  would  be  a  waste  of  ink  and  paper  to  delineate 
its  specific  features.  The  abstract  principles  of  liberty,  and  the 
relative  rights  of  man,  authorise  and  demand  legislative  inter- 
position. The  citizen  who  wantonly  destroys  his  property ;  his 
health  ;  his  mental  faculties ;  by  drinking  spirituous  liquors  ;  and 
thereby  thrusts  himself  or  a  helpless  family  upon  the  public  bounty, 
commits  a  trespass  on  the  rights  of  the  community.  We  consider 
it  the  duty  of  government  to  adopt  measures  for  preventing  such 
aggressions  no  less  than  for  the  security  and  recovery  of  ordinary 
debts. 

And  whereas  we  are  fully  convinced  that  the  early  instruction 
of  the  rising  generation  in  the  moral  duties  of  life,  would  con- 
tribute materially  to  avert  the  evils  under  consideration.  We 
therefore  implore  and  request  the  government  of  these  United 
States,  to  provide  for  the  education  of  every  youth,  whose  edu- 
cation is  not  otherwise  provided  for,  within  the  jurisdiction 
thereof.  —  For  this  purpose,  as  well  as  to  discourage  intemper- 
ance, we  earnestly  recommend  that  a  duty  of  fifty  cents  per 

C2 


35 

gallon  be  imposed  upon  all  spirituous  liquors  manufactured  with- 
in the  United  States  ;  —  and  one  dollar  per  gallon  upon  all  wines 
and  spirituous  liquors  which  shall  be  imported :  —  the  monies 
accruing  from  the  duties  on  domestic  liquors,  to  be  appropriated 
to  the  establishment  of  free  Lancastrian  and  common  schools, 
and  free  circulating  libraries,  in  the  respective  districts  in  which 
the  taxes  shall  be  levied  and  collected :  —  and  the  duties  on 
imported  liquors  to  be  applied  to  the  same  purpose,  in  such 
manner  and  place  as  the  wisdom  of  Congress  shall  suggest. 

Memorial  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  State  of to  the 

Governor,  and  Legislature  thereof,  praying  that  effectual  laws 
may  be  enacted  for  the  suppression  of  the  unnecessary  use  of 
spirituous  liquors,  &c. 

Whereas  the  subscribers  behold  with  fearful  concern,  the 
alarming  ravages  of  spirituous  liquors  on  the  health,  lives,  property, 
morals  and  domestic  happiness  of  the  people  of  this  State.  Self- 
defence,  and  the  equal  rights  of  man  authorise  legislative  inter- 
position. 

The  citizen  who  destroys  the  products  of  his  labor,  his  health, 
his  mental  faculties,  by  drinking  spirituous  liquors,  and  thereby 
thrusts  himself  or  a  helpless  family  upon  the  public  bounty,  com- 
mits a  trespass  on  the  rights  of  the  community.  We  consider  it 
the  duty  of  government  to  adopt  measures  for  preventing  such 
aggressions,  no  less  than  for  the  security  and  recovery  of  ordinary 
debts.  We  therefore  implore  and  request  the  legislature  of  this 
state  to  enact  laws  for  placing  the  property  of  habitual  drunkards, 
in  the  care  of  trustees,  for  the  benefit  of  their  families ;  to  be 
restored  again  whenever  such  mentally  diseased  persons  shall 
have  recovered  their  reason,  and  discretion  :  —  To  restrict  the 
licences  for  selling  distilled  spirits  by  drams,  solely  to  such  Inns 
as  shall  be  considered  requisite  for  the  entertainment  of  travellers : 
—  To  impose  a  tax  of  one  cent  upon  every  half  gill  of  distilled 


36 

spirits  vended  by  Innkeepers ;  and  12  1-2  cents  per  quart  upon 
all  distilled  spirits,  by  whomsoever  sold,  in  quantities  exceeding 
one  gill,  and  less  than  ten  gallons:  And  to  appropriate  the 
monies  thence  accruing,  to  the  establishment  of  free  Lancastrian 
and  common  schools,  free  circulating  libraries ;  Alms  houses, 
Asylums  and  Infirmaries  for  the  benefit  of  indigent  victims  of  in- 
temperance ;  houses  of  employment ;  and  to  such  other  purposes 
as  may  be  found  expedient. 

It  is  the  more  indispensable  to  obtain  the  sentiments  of  the 
people  at  large,  on  this  momentous  national  question,  in  the  man- 
ner here  proposed,  on  account  of  a  prejudice  indulged  by  many, 
( legislators  in  particular,  with  whom  I  have  frequently  discussed 
the  subject,)  that  legislative  restrictions  upon  the  distribution  and 
use  of  spirituous  liquors,  would  excite  disaffection  and  rebellion. 
Such  is  my  confidence  in  a  contrary  result,  even  with  respect  to 
the  captives  of  Intemperance  themselves ;  and  such  my  impres- 
sions of  the  imperious  necessity  and  duty  of  combatting  the  pro- 
gress of  that  unmerciful  tyrant  and  murderer ;  that  I  feel  willing 
to  devote  a  large  proportion  of  the  subsequent  time  that  my  life 
may  be  preserved,  to  the  purpose  of  ascertaining  the  fact.  I  am 
not  a  fanatic ;  but  I  confess  my  solicitude  and  zeal  on  this  sub- 
ject, approach  nearly  to  enthusiasm.  The  case  surely  demands 
the  concurrent  enthusiasm  and  perseverance  of  all  who  possess 
the  least  sympathy  for  the  sufferings  and  woes  of  their  fellow-men. 
And  the  very  sufferers  are  not  so  indifferent  as  has  been  generally 
supposed.  Many  have  addressed  their  supreme  Parent,  with 
supplications  to  rescue  and  protect  them  from  the  fascinating 
charm,  and  twining  gripe  with  which  that  cunning  serpent 
Alcohol  inveigles  its  prey.  And  they  are  not  wholly  averse  to 
coercive  means  of  relief.  Several  have  sought  their  emanci- 
pation, in  oaths  of  abstinence  for  a  given  term.  Some  have  offered 
premiums  for  a  remedy  to  the  habit  of  drinking ;  —  and  one 


37 

individual  of  this  description,  declared  to  the  writer  of  these  essays, 
that  he  "  wished  government  would  impose  a  tax  upon  whiskey 
of  five  dollars  a  gallon,  and  then  he  should  stop  drinking  it." 
On  the  whole,  the  probability  is,  that  a  more  formidable  re- 
sistance to  the  taxation  of  spirituous  liquors,  will  spring  from  the 
manufacturers,  importers  and  sellers  of  them,  than  from  the  con- 
sumers. This  conclusion  is  authorised  by  the  fact,  that  so  many 
fortunes  have  been  acquired  by  those  occupations  ;  by  the 
acknowledgement  of  the  Aldermen,  as  narrated  in  the  preceding 
essays,  (  page  26  )  and  decisively  by  the  late  remonstrance  pub- 
lished by  the  grocers  of  the  city  of  New  York.  So  that  the 
business  at  length  resolves  itself  into  this  great  moral  and  political 
problem  ;  —  WHETHER  THE  MAJORITY  OF  OUR  CITIZENS, 
FROM  WHOM  ALL  POLITICAL  AUTHORITY  ORIGINATES, 
SHALL  FIND  IT  TO  BE  JUSTICE  AND  CORRECT  POLICY, 
TO  GRANT  ONE  SECTION  OF  THE  COMMUNITY,  THE 

PRIVILEGE   OF    "GETTING    THEIR   LIVING,"    OR 

ACCUMULATING  ESTATES,  THROUGH  THE  BANK- 
RUPTCY AND  MORAL  AND  PHYSICAL  DESTRUCTION  OF 
ANOTHER  MORE  NUMEROUS,  BUT  IMPRUDENT  SECTION? 


THE  HABITUAL  TEMPERATE  USE  OF   SPIR- 
ITUOUS LIQUORS,  A  VIOLATION  OF 
MORAL  PURITY,  AND  RELI- 
GIOUS DUTY. 

So  far  as  it  is  in  our  power  to  understand  the  designs  and 
laws  of  our  Creator,  for  the  regulation  of  our  conduct,  it  is  both 
our  duty  and  interest  to  yield  perfect  compliance.  The  preser- 
vation of  health  and  life,  is  unquestionably  one  of  our  most  pal- 
pable and  explicit  duties.  Every  act  therefore  which  impairs 
our  health  and  diminishes  the  period  of  our  lives,  is  a  violation 


38 

of  the  express  command  of  God.  I  shall  endeavor  to  demon- 
strate by  physiological  facts,  that  both  these  effects  are  produced 
more  or  less,  by  the  application  of  distilled  spirits  to  the  stomach, 
in  whatever  quantity.  All  our  food,  whether  vegetable  or  animal, 
is  originally  derived  from  the  vegetable  kingdom.  The  materials 
from  which  vegetables  receive  their  nutriment  generally  exist  in 
an  oxided  state.  Thus  water  contains  nearly  seven  eighths  of  its 
weight  of  oxygen ;  carbonic  acid  nearly  three  fourths,  and  all 
decaying  vegetable  and  animal  matter  is  found  highly  saturated 
with  it.  The  great  process  of  vegetation  appears  to  consist  in 
decomposing  the  various  substances  which  supply  the  rudiments 
of  its  food,  and  in  expelling  the  excess  of  oxygen,  with  which 
they  are  always  combined.  The  first  product  of  vegetation  is 
sugar,  which  contains  8  parts  hydrogen,  28  carbon,  and  64  of 
oxygen,  and  being  the  crudest  and  most  abundant  article  of  food 
that  exists,  is  probably  designed  for  the  support  of  the  gramin- 
ivorous races  of  animals ;  as  the  various  grasses,  including  the 
sugar  cane,  yield  more  of  it  than  any  other  plants.  Whether  a 
digression  or  not,  I  must  here  announce  the  important  fact  that 
sugar  is  an  improper  and  deleterious  article  of  diet  for  man,  and 
a  prolific  source  of  disease,  which,  if  my  life  is  spared,  I  shall  at 
a  future  time,  attempt  to  demonstrate  both  from  facts  and  the 
physical  laws  of  nature.  The  second  stage  towards  the  perfect- 
ibility of  the  nutritive  principle,  is  that  of  gum  or  mucilage,  which 
contains  only  half  its  quantity  of  oxygen  ;  1 4  parts  in  a  hundred 
less  than  sugar.  Fecula  or  starch  is  a  fraction  finer,  and  is  the 
product  of  those  seeds  which  constitute  the  principal  and  prob- 
ably the  most  appropriate  food  for  men.  Sugar  is  found  in  the 
most  common  juice  or  sap  of  plants  and  trees,  while  gum  is  con- 
fined chiefly  to  the  bark,  root,  or  heart,  and  fecula  and  oil,  to  the 
seeds  and  nuts.  Oil  is  still  farther  refined,  containing  77,243 
carbon,  13.36  hydrogen,  and  only  9.427  of  oxygen.  Gluten 
the  most  nutritive  substance  with  which  we  are  acquainted,  is 


39 

composed  according  to  Accum,  entirely  of  hydrogen,  carbon  and 
nitrogen.  It  is  afforded  in  greater  quantity  from  wheat,  than  any 
other  vegetable. 

Now  in  order  to  obtain  alcohol,  (  or  whiskey,)  from  any  of 
the  seeds  used  for  bread,  it  is  necessary  that  they  should  be  sub- 
jected to  the  recontamination  of  oxygen,  so  as  to  reduce  them 
back  to  their-  crude  saccharine  state.  Then  the  vinous  fermen- 
tation, imparting  still  more  oxygen,  must  be  applied  and  continued 
until  those  once  nutritive  milky  materials  have  become  sensibly 
acid  or  sour.  From  this  loathsome  leaven  (  or  yeast )  of  depravity, 
disease  and  death,  the  serpentine  alembic,  with  the  aid  of  the 
furnace,  disgorges  a  liquid  fire,  which  consumes  the  health,  hap- 
piness and  lives  of  thousands  and  millions  of  unthinking  infatuated 
men.  The  literal  chemical  term  for  this  fluid  would  be  the  oxide 
of  nutriment :  and  it  is  in  this  state  that  most  poisons  exist ;  being 
indebted  for  their  activity  to  oxygen  ;  as  the  oxides  of  arsenic 
copper,  antimony,  lead,  silver,  quicksilver,  &c.  The  composition 
of  alcohol  is  as  follows:  —  Oxygen  37.85,  Carbon  43.65, 
Hydrogen  24.94,  Azote  3.52,  Ashes  0.04,  -I  100.00. 
Composed  of  very  inflammable  materials,  in  a  disengaged  state, 
and  mingled  with  more  than  one  third  of  its  weight  of  oxygen, 
the  common  vehicle  of  fire,  it  commences  a  kind  of  smothered 
combustion  instantaneously  on  its  reception  unto  the  stomach ; 
corrodes  the  organs  of  digestion,  excites  an  unnatural  heat  and 
violent  circulation  of  the  blood  ;  attended  with  delirium,  and  suc- 
ceeded by  a  loss  of  strength,  proportioned  to  the  excess  of  excite- 
ment produced  by  the  irritating  agent.  Several  other  poisons 
produce  similar  effects.  It  is  an  infallible  axiom  in  the  physical 
organization  of  man,  that  every  excitement  of  his  vital  powers 
beyond  the  point  to  which  his  Creator  has  adapted  him,  which 
is  the  uniform  effect  of  alcohol,  diminishes  his  capacity  for  repeat- 
ing like  motions  from  like  means.  Hence  it  may  be  safely  in- 
ferred that  every  dram  of  spirituous  liquors  of  any  description, 


40 

is  a  check  upon  the  capital  stock  °f  strength  and  life,  and 
hastens  the  approach  of  the  hour  of  dissolution,  in  proportion 
to  the  indulgence.  Each  dram  increases  the  appetite  for  another, 
and  the  necessity  of  an  increased  quantity,  to  produce  an  equal 
effect,  multiplies  in  a  progressive  ratio.  Thus  it  follows,  unavoid- 
ably, that  the  habitual  temperate  use  of  ardent  spirits  is  a  per- 
nicious and  vicious  practice.  Besides  its  consumption  of  vital 
power,  it  will  be  found  an  unjustifiable  and  immoral  habit  in 
another  point  of  view.  It  is  a  wanton  and  unnecessary  waste  of 
property,  which  ought  to  be  religiously  preserved,  even  by  those 
who  possess  it,  in  ever  so  great  profusion.  Dr.  Franklin  says 
whoever  draws  a  fish  from  the  sea,  draws  up  a  piece  of  silver. 
Whoever  swallows  two  gills  of  distilled  spirits  daily,  annihilates 
20  ounces  of  silver  a  year,  or  20  bushels  of  rye ;  for  the  want 
of  which  many  of  his  own  posterity  may  eventually  starve  to 
death.  In  this  way,  it  has  been  estimated  by  a  late  writer  that 
the  people  of  the  United  States,  destroy  33,365,529  dollars 
annually.  Considering  this,  and  the  many  other  useless  and 
superfluous  modes  of  diminishing  the  common  stock  of  national 
wealth,  there  is  no  reason  to  be  surprised  to  hear  the  present 
universal  re-echo  of  "  hard  times,"  "  dull  times,"  "  scarcity  of 
money,"  "scarcity  and  high  price  of  bread  corn,"  "sales  by 
execution,"  "difficulty  of  collecting  debts,"  "  insolvencies," 
"pauperism,"  &c.  &c.  &c. 


41 


APPENDIX. 
AMERICAN  POLITICS. 

The  reason  why  the  citizens  of  the  U.  States  are  separated 
into  two  great  contending  political  parties,  calumniating  and  pro- 
voking each  other  with  vollies  of  corrosive  epithets  and  abuse,  is 
to  me  inexplicable.  Ask  every  citizen  indiscriminately  his  political 
creed,  and  99  hundredths  will  give  synonymous  answers.  Both 
parties  cling  to  the  same  standard,  the  federal  constitution,  and 
yet  reproach  each  other  with  the  terms  federal,  democrat,  &c. 
without  reflecting  on  the  meaning  of  either.  The  word  federal 
signifies  nothing  more  than  united,  and  has  no  concern  with  modes 
or  systems  of  government  whatever.  The  word  democracy  sig- 
nifies government  by  the  people,  and  composes  one  of  the  most 
essential  and  admirable  qualities  of  our  political  system.  Any 
other  mode  of  government  must  originate  from  usurpation,  vio- 
lence, and  oppression.  It  is  very  plain  that  no  man  is  born 
marked  by  the  Creator  above  another,  "  for  none  comes  into  the 
world  with  a  saddle  on  his  back,  nor  any  booted  and  spurred  to 
ride  him."  With  rare  exceptions  it  is  the  unanimous  political 
theorem  of  the  citizens  of  the  United  States,  of  both  parties, 
that  the  people  are  the  only  source  of  legitimate  power,  and  that 
legislators  are  only  public  agents,  or  servants,  dependent  on  the 
confidence  of  their  employers  for  the  continuation  of  their  term 
of  service.  All  claim  and  assume  the  title  of  republican,  the 
literal  meaning  of  which  is  public  affairs,  general  interest,  com- 
mon good,  &c.  Whence  then  all  this  senseless  clamor  about 
Toryism  and  Democracy,  Federalism  and  Republicanism,  British 
Influence  and  French  Influence,  &c.  &c.  ?  Can  it  spring  entirely 
from  pure  patriotism  on  either  side  ?  Does  not  a  great  propor- 
tion of  it  proceed  from  self-interested  aspirants  for  office,  and 
publishers  of  news-papers  ?  Let  every  one  examine  and  decide 


42 

for  himself.  In  selecting  candidates  for  public  trust,  beware  of 
the  imperious  haughty  Aristocrat  or  tyrant,  whatever  party  or 
title  he  may  assume.  Without  distinction  of  party  names,  let  the 
indispensable  qualifications,  be  integrity,  capacity,  wisdom,  moral 
rectitude  and  patriotism. 

But  the  most  lamentable  and  mischievious  prevailing  political 
errors,  after  all,  and  which  are  confined  to  no  specific  parly,  are 
the  customs  of  sending  to  the  other  side  of  the  globe  annually, 
several  millions  of  silver  dollars,  to  be  exchanged  for  tree  leaves, 
which  produce  an  injury  seven  fold  greater  than  the  cost  of  them, 
in  promoting  the  general  epidemic  of  indigestion  and  nervous 
complaints ;  of  sending  to  Europe  several  millions  more  for  con- 
temptible trifles  for  the  gratification  of  a  vain  and  ridiculous 
fancy :  several  millions  more  to  the  West  Indies  for  rum,  sugar, 
molasses,  coffee,  and  tobacco,  which  co-operate  in  their  effects 
as  joint  allies  with  the  said  shrubbery, first  mentioned;  of  sacrificing 
20,000,000  more  for  whiskey  the  worst  commodity  of  all,  in 
our  own  country  ;  and  lastly  of  paying  many  millions  more  to  the 
numerous  distributors  of  those  various  seeds  of  moral  and  physical 
contamination  three  fourths  of  whom  might  otherwise,  be  em- 
ployed in  augmenting  the  national  wealth,  in  a  variety  of  use- 
ful occupations. 


Soon  after  having  finished  the  foregoing  work,  the  author  was 
presented,  by  a  friend,  with  the  following  mournful  dirge  ;  with 
a  request  to  insert  it,  if  thought  appropos  to  the  present  subject. 

THE  LOVERS  OF  RUM. 

I've  mus'd  on  the  mis'ries  of  life, 

To  find  from  what  quarter  they  come, 

Whence  most  of  confusion  and  strife, 
Alas !  from  the  Lovers  of  Rum. 


43 

I  met  with  a  fair  one  distress'd ; 

I  ask'd  from  whence  her  sorrows  could  come, 
She  replied.  "  I  am  sorely  oppress'd, 

"  My  husband's  a  Lover  of  Rum." 

I  found  a  poor  child  in  the  street, 

Whose  limbs  by  the  cold,  were  all  numb, 

No  stockings  or  shoes  on  his  feet, 
His  father's  a  Lover  of  Rum. 

I  went  to  collect  a  small  debt, 

The  master  was  absent  from  home ; 

The  sequel  I  need  not  relate, 
The  man  was  a  Lover  of  Rum. 

I  met  with  a  pauper  in  Rags, 

Who  ask'd  for  a  trifling  sum : 
I'll  tell  you  the  cause  why  he  begs, 

He  once  was  a  Lover  of  Rum. 

I've  seen  men,  from  health,  wealth  and  ease, 

Untimely,  descend  to  the  tomb, 
I  need  not  describe  their  disease, 

Because  they  were  Lovers  of  Rum. 

Ask  prisons,  and  gallowses  all, 

Whence  most  of  their  customers  come : 

From  whence  they  have  most  of  their  calls, 
They'll  tell  you,  "  from  Lovers  of  Rum." 


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